Jaxson Dart knew just as well as everyone else that he was not walking into a starting position when the New York Giants traded up and selected him with the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 36-year-old Russell Wilson was already sitting in that seat — head coach Brian Daboll even confirmed it.
That didn’t stop Dart from turning a strong OTAs into an even better minicamp. He’s been first in, last out — doing everything he can to stand out. He made it clear to anyone paying attention that just because the job wasn’t his now didn’t mean he was going to wait around for it to fall in his lap later.
After Day 2 of mandatory minicamp, the rookie QB didn’t talk about competing for the starting role or proving anyone wrong. He spoke about his goals in the humblest way possible: "I have a vision and goal for myself, and that goes far beyond just starting here and being in the NFL," Dart told the media. "I know that for me to do that, I'm going to have to put in all that I can."
Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart is chasing something bigger than the starting job
The fact that Dart is looking beyond the starting role and just being satisfied with making it to the NFL should fire up Giants fans. It might not read as the strongest quote of the offseason, but make no mistake about it, that is one heck of a powerful statement.
I'm sure there will be a fair share of fans, analysts, etc. who will have their field day with this, claiming Dart needs to focus on winning the starting job first before anything else can be discussed. And they're not entirely wrong. However, I'd challenge them to think a bit less critically. Read between the lines. What Dart is saying is that he is going to work tirelessly to become something even bigger than the starting QB. He wants to do more than just make it to the NFL. He wants more.
And that's exactly what Big Blue Nation needs from its hopeful franchise cornerstone — a quarterback who won’t settle. One who refuses to let his draft slot or current depth chart placement define what comes next.
That’s why it’s no surprise when he was asked about where he stands now compared to when the Giants drafted him, Dart believes he’s come a long way since draft weekend, and the results are already showing. Fortunately, the rookie isn't the only one who feels this way. Dabes made similar comments after the first day of minicamp.
Jaxson Dart feels that he has made "tremendous strides" since being drafted by the Giants and practicing with the team in OTAs and minicamp
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) June 18, 2025
He wants to "take it to the next level" this summer before training camp pic.twitter.com/L1uMLxf8cg
He’s not slowing down anytime soon, either. Dart said his focus now is to “take it to the next level” before training camp — a mindset that reflects how he’s approaching this entire opportunity. Not just to compete. Not just to survive. To climb. To grow. To become something more than just the next starting quarterback of the Giants.
So sure, Dart may not be QB1 today. He may not even be QB2 when the season starts. But he's made it crystal clear he’s coming for it and a whole lot more. And if minicamp is any indication, he might not be that far off.