Football is so back. Real-life games are right around the corner, and the buzz around the New York Giants’ rookie class is just getting started. After an undefeated 3-0 showing, outscoring opponents 107-47, the energy around Big Blue couldn't be more electric. A lot of that has to do with how impressive the rookies have looked during the preseason.
CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt released his All-Preseason team, and two names on the offensive side stood out immediately: rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and rookie offensive lineman Marcus Mbow. Both jumped off the screen early and often, a promising sign that general manager Joe Schoen’s rebuild is starting to show real traction.
Now that #NFLPreseason is complete, we’ve put together an All-Preseason Team on @NFLonCBS spotlighting guys who made the most of the opportunity*
— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) August 24, 2025
*yes, I know (insert player here) also stood out too pic.twitter.com/o869cfz28e
While not every preseason standout pans out (ask Montrell Washington), there’s a different vibe brewing in East Rutherford. For a team that’s been stuck in quarterback purgatory and offensive line chaos for years, hitting on a signal-caller and a trench warrior in the same draft — and seeing it show up this quickly — it's not nothing.
Jaxson Dart and Marcus Mbow give the Giants something real to build on
Dart was the most impressive Giant throughout the preseason, so it wasn't necessarily shocking to see him make the list. He finished his debut 32-of-47 for 372 yards, four total touchdowns, and no turnovers. Hunt's All-Preseason team would have felt a little less legitimate had Hunt not included the 22-year-old on the list.
The more surprising selection was Mbow, who's another 22-year-old rookie. While it's definitely a great sign to see a Giants offensive lineman make the team, it does feel like his appearance hinged largely on his first game against the Buffalo Bills.
In his preseason debut, Mbow took 35 snaps, allowing only one quarterback pressure, earning an impressive 81.2 pass block grade from Pro Football Focus. His next two games against the Jets and Patriots, respectively, were less encouraging, but still good. His positional versatility appears to have no bounds, as he was deployed at tackle despite being projected as a guard.
Dart was viewed as more of a project than a finished product, while Mbow was viewed as a steal from the jump. How he slipped to the fifth round will be anyone's guess, but the G-Men are clear winners of his slide.
If Big Blue having two rookies make the All-Preseason team tells fans anything, it's that Schoen is starting to figure it out. The best way to build a roster is through the draft, and it's looking like, back-to-back seasons, he's done exactly that. The 2024 draft class brought in Malik Nabers, Tyler Nubin, Theo Johnson, Dru Phillips, and Tyrone Tracy Jr.
And even though the 2025 class looked like another strong get on paper, the rookies would still need to prove it on the field. Although it's only the preseason, potentially finding their quarterback of the future and a new protector to boot, feels like this class is already trending in the right direction.