The New York Giants are heading into the 2025 offseason with a glaring need at quarterback and limited time for general manager Joe Schoen to inspire confidence in ownership. While the team holds a high second-round pick, there’s a growing argument for trading into the back end of the first round to secure a fifth-year option for a young quarterback. One name rising to the surface is Ole Miss passer Jaxson Dart, a player who may not be as flashy as the top-tier names in the draft but offers intriguing traits that could make him the long-term answer.
Why Jaxson Dart Fits the Giants’ Timeline
Jaxson Dart isn’t a plug-and-play quarterback ready to take the NFL by storm on day one. Instead, he’s a developmental piece who can sit behind a veteran bridge quarterback like Justin Fields or Russell Wilson for much of the 2025 season.
Dart is only 21 years old, standing at 6’2” and 225 pounds, and is 1.5 years younger than his draft classmates like Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. That age gap suggests untapped physical potential, which should appeal to a team willing to exercise patience.
This past season, Dart broke Eli Manning’s Ole Miss single-season passing record with 4,276 yards while completing 69.2 percent of his passes. He tallied 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions, showing steady improvement in accuracy and decision-making. He pairs his gunslinger mentality with solid ball security, fumbling just three times in 2024 and limiting turnover-worthy plays to 2.8 percent.
A Gunslinger with Downfield Prowess
One of Dart’s most attractive qualities is his ability to push the ball downfield with confidence and precision. He completed 37 passes of 20+ yards for 1,517 yards, 17 touchdowns, and four interceptions, ranking among the best deep-ball passers in college football. His intermediate passing was just as effective, logging 1,314 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions on throws between 10–19 yards.
Coming from Lane Kiffin’s offense, which emphasized motion, play action, and explosive plays, Dart’s transition to the Giants’ desired scheme could be seamless. His ability to layer passes over the middle of the field is a skill that often translates well to NFL success, and his 97.2 percent adjusted completion rate on short throws highlights his adaptability across all levels of the field.
Where Dart Needs to Improve
While Dart’s potential is evident, he’s far from a finished product. His response to pressure is inconsistent, as he sometimes bails out of clean pockets prematurely or fails to manipulate pocket space to extend plays — he has a tendency to roll out far to the outside. Improving his pocket presence and learning to step up into the pocket will be critical to his development.
From a mechanical standpoint, Dart needs to refine his footwork and weight distribution, particularly under pressure. At times, he abandons his fundamentals, leading to less precise throws. However, these issues are coachable, and with experience, Dart could transform his raw talent into consistent production.
The Risk and Reward of Drafting Dart
The Giants are at a crossroads with their quarterback situation. The 2025 draft class is shallow, making the decision to draft a quarterback at the top of the second round or trade back into the first a delicate balance between risk and reward.
Spending the third overall pick on Shedeur Sanders feels risky given the divided opinions on his NFL readiness, and the odds of Cam Ward slipping to the Giants seem slim. Dart, on the other hand, offers a unique combination of upside, youth, and production that could align perfectly with the Giants’ long-term plans.
What Jaxson Dart Brings to the Giants
Dart’s strengths—his deep-ball accuracy, ability to thrive in play-action schemes, and knack for making plays on the move—make him an ideal fit for the Giants’ vision of an explosive offense. His weaknesses, while notable, are not insurmountable and could be mitigated with the right coaching and time to develop. For a team desperate for a franchise quarterback, Dart might be the calculated gamble worth taking.
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By giving Dart time to sit and learn behind a veteran, the Giants could unlock his full potential, setting the stage for an exciting future under center. If Schoen wants to instill confidence in ownership and take a meaningful step toward sustained success, Jaxson Dart might just be his best shot.