When the New York Giants made the bold decision to cut Daniel Jones midway through the 2024 season, it was clear they were officially in the market for a new franchise quarterback. After landing short-term veteran options in free agency, the G-Men took a calculated risk in their search for a long-term answer under center.
They made a trade with the Houston Texans to move back into the first round and selected Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss—a pick that stirred up a bit of nostalgia for fans, as former two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning also played at Ole Miss and arrived in New York via a draft-day trade. After six seasons of watching Jones struggle, most fans agreed it was time for a change of scenery and some fresh blood at quarterback. Big Blue is hoping they’ve found that in Dart.
The big question, though, is when Jaxson Dart will actually see the field—if at all—in 2025. Russell Wilson has been named the Giants’ starting quarterback for now, but many around the league believe he’s already on the hot seat and racing against the clock to keep the job. Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports ranked the Giants’ draft-day trade to move up for Dart as the No. 9 most impactful move of the offseason heading into the 2025 season:
“After selecting pass rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, the New York Giants traded back up into the first round to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. While we shouldn't expect aC.J. Stroud or Jayden Daniels-type rookie season from Dart, his arrival to the Big Apple is primed to shake up the organization in some way, shape or form. The club has been adamant that Russell Wilson, who signed with the Giants in free agency, will be the Week 1 starter. However, it does seem like it'll only be a matter of time before Dart leaps over him. Already during offseason workouts, Dart, so he seemed to be vying for playing time earlier than expected.”
All eyes are already on Jaxson Dart before training camp even begins
While training camp and the preseason have yet to begin, Dart has already impressed those who watched the team during OTAs and minicamp. What stood out was his confidence, composure, and the way he carried himself both on and off the field.
Dart looked the part of an NFL quarterback, not just in how he threw the ball, but in how he handled himself in front of the New York and New Jersey media. That’s a skill not everyone has, and it’s not one easily learned. Yet Dart seems to have it already, just like Manning did for 15 years.
If the team struggles early with Wilson under center, many around the league expect head coach Brian Daboll to eventually turn to Dart to take the reins and lead the offense. The rookie is coming off a standout season at Ole Miss, where he led the nation with 4,278 passing yards and a 69.3% completion rate, along with 29 touchdown passes. He also added 495 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.
That’s the player Giants fans are excited about—and the one they’re hoping to see sooner rather than later.
If things go according to plan, Wilson will start the majority of the 2025 season—ideally during a playoff-caliber run—much like he did last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that scenario, Dart likely wouldn’t see the field until 2026, aside from potential mop-up duty. But if the season ends up looking more like the struggles of 2023 and 2024, with the offense failing to click, fans could very well see the rookie get his feet wet.
And when that happens, we may get our first true glimpse of the future of the Giants’ offense.