The New York Giants drafted quarterback Jaxson Dart in the 2025 NFL Draft in the first round. Former Ole Miss quarterback, was drafted as the number 25 overall pick.
The Giants also signed former Pittsburgh Steelers player Russell Wilson, who is expected to be the starting quarterback this season, Jameis Winston as a free agent back in March, and the Giants still have fan favorite Tommy DeVito.
With all these quarterbacks, the Giants still lack a possible long-term answer at quarterback.
Dart was selected by the New York Giants for the 25th pick. To compensate, Houston received a second-round pick, a third-round pick, and a third-rounder in the 2026 NFL draft.
In 2004, when the Giants acquired Eli Manning from the San Diego Chargers, the Giants acquired the number one overall pick in a draft day trade.
Manning eventually led the franchise to two Super Bowl victories, and the Giants are hoping this move works out nearly as well now with Dart.
“We’re fired up to have Jaxson Dart as part of the organization,” Joe Schoen, general manager, said, “and look forward to working with him.” Schoen said when the media reassembled after the selection of Dart.
However, with Wilson and Winston already in the franchise Dart won’t be rushed on the field.
“This is just where my journey starts,” Dart stated during a video call. “I’m stepping into an amazing room with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who can see it from a different lens at such an elite level. I can’t wait to go learn from him, go learn from all the other guys in Tommy and Jameis in the room and then just the team as a whole.” Dart said on draft night.
“I feel like it’s just a bunch of great competitors who really see it the same way, and I can’t wait to go out there and compete and do all that I can to make the team better.”
Manning has high hopes for Dart by sending a congratulatory message after he was drafted, saying “Jaxson, congratulations on being drafted by the New York Giants.” Manning said in a special message sent to Dart.
Noting the strong connection between Ole Miss quarterbacks and the Giants, including Charlie Conerly, expressing his excitement for Dart to continue the tradition for the next 4 years that Dart is signed for (with his contract worth $17 million).
The Giants’ recent quarterback history has been, the best way to put it, a rollercoaster. Since Eli Manning’s departure in 2020, the team has struggled to find a reliable long-term answer on who can best complete those shoes. Former QB, Daniel Jones, has shown moments of promise but has battled with injuries and inconsistency.
Dart remains confident he can make an impact for the Giants.
But can he change it? Knowing that he is unlikely to be a starter, can he make an impact on the team? The answer is yes – but it comes with its warnings.
Dart has the tools and mental ability to become a successful NFL quarterback, but success in New York will depend just as much on the team around him as on his own development. With the right amount of coaching, play calling, and patience, Dart can ignite a new era for the Giants.
But without those pieces all in place, even a talented quarterback like Dart can become just another name in a long list of “what ifs.”
