The New York Giants are preparing to kick off a new era after drafting Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. New York made a bold move to trade up and take Dart with the No. 25 overall pick despite him being viewed by many as a Day 2 prospect.
However, sometimes it is fine to reach on a prospect (especially a quarterback) if that prospect perfectly fits a team’s scheme and identity. That might be the case with Dart and the Giants.
Jaxson Dart and Giants named ‘perfect player-team fit’
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com recently listed 10 “perfect player-team fits” and had plenty of praise for the Dart-Giants pairing:
“Considering Brian Daboll’s past work with Josh Allen in Buffalo, it is easy to see why the coach handpicked the Ole Miss standout as his future franchise quarterback in New York, trading back into the first round to make Dart the second signal-caller off the board,” Brooks explained.
“Though the 6-foot-2, 223-pound passer obviously isn’t a carbon copy of the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player, he possesses the dual-threat skills to make Big Blue’s offense pop with RPOs, designed quarterback runs and deep shots featured prominently on the call sheet.
“If the Giants patiently allow for the rookie to acclimate to the pro game — with Dart in position to sit and learn behind veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston — the first-rounder could lead the franchise out of the doldrums as an potent playmaker with a rugged game.”
Brooks makes plenty of solid points when explaining the fit between Dart and the Giants. Dart is viewed as a more inexperienced and developmental prospect. Thankfully, the Giants’ additions of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston will give him plenty of time and mentorship to develop.
In 2024, Dart threw for an SEC-leading 4,279 yards with a 29-6 TD-INT ratio. However, he played in a quarterback-friendly offensive scheme from Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin, and still has plenty left to learn before he is able to be the driver in an NFL offense.
Brian Daboll is the key to unlocking Dart’s potential
As Brooks explained, the Giants and Dart are a perfect match for one key reason: head coach Brian Daboll.
Few coaches in the NFL have a better reputation when it comes to coaching quarterbacks than Daboll. And Daboll is rather particular about the quarterbacks that he likes to coach.
There are three hallmark traits of a Brian Daboll Quarterback: Plus-mobility, aggression and accuracy while throwing deep, and the ability to throw short passes in a West Coast offense with timing and accuracy.
Dart possesses all of those traits. He’s a good runner, he was one of the top-graded deep passers in the NCAA last season, and, even though he might not have been asked to throw past his first or second read much, he demonstrated an ability to get the ball out to that read quickly and in stride on a consistent basis.
The Giants are prepared to give Dart plenty of time to sit, learn, and develop behind the scenes. He is an exciting young quarterback with plenty of potential. Hopefully, he is ready to reach that potential once he is finally inserted into the lineup.
