Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart (QB03) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The New York Giants engaged in the “Dart” of the deal on draft night and ended up with who they hope will be their franchise thrower of the future.
Hours after getting quarterback chaser Abdul Carter, Big Blue re-entered the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday to obtain the services of Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart at 25th overall.
The deal saw the Giants trade the 34th and 99th choices on Friday and a 2026 third-rounder to draw Dart, the second quarterback taken off the 2025 draft board.
“I think he’s got a lot of qualities you look for in a good quarterback,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said upon Dart’s selection.
“He’s tough, makes good decisions with the football, pushes the ball down the field, and has athletic ability. He did a great job throughout our meetings, board work, workouts, and the tape, which we liked. So I look forward to working with him.”
Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen said that the process to add Dart began as early as last May, but the former Rebel began to “crystallize” as the Giants’ selection at the start of this week. Schoen said that trading back into the first round became a realistic possibility in the early to mid-20s.
The possibility of Dart falling to the second round dwindled as midnight approached, as word emerged that the Los Angeles Rams, original holders of the 26th pick, were said to be interested in a thrower, ostensibly as a successor to starter Matthew Stafford. Once the Giants bartered with Houston, Los Angeles traded back so the Atlanta Falcons could take James Pearce Jr.
Feb 1, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team quarterback Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss (2) during the first half of the 2025 Senior Bowl football game against the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Schoen and Co. got on the phone once the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on a thrower at No. 21 (taking Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon).
“We went through all these scenarios before the day started, what were going to do at three and then at what point [we’d trade],” Schoen said. “There are 31 other teams, and sometimes we assume everybody sees things the way we do, and that’s not always the case … Hats off to my staff. They do a great job making these calls around the league, and the pro scouting staff puts together their needs.”
Dart now comes to New York after three sterling seasons in Oxford, the last one yielding first-team All-SEC honors at quarterback. The dual talents of Dart further pushed the Giants toward the trade block, as they engaged in their first trade in the premier round since 2023, when they one spot up with Jacksonville to select Deonte Banks.
“I like his competitive fire. I like his accuracy. I like his ability to push the ball down the field and his athletic ability to run with the football,” Daboll lauded.
“I know the system that they ran down there at Ole Miss is similar to the one we had at Alabama, so there’s, you know, there’s some, some carryover on some of these things, but I think this guy’s got better every year.
“He’s played, he’s a leader, he’s smart, he has the attributes we were looking for. So, look forward to getting him in the room.”
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