When the New York Giants traded up to draft Jaxson Dart with the 25th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, expectations weren't particularly high for him. People thought that Brian Daboll reached for a franchise quarterback in hopes of saving his job and that his future wouldn't be particularly bright.
However, it didn't take long for Dart to quell those concerns. He didn't have a perfect rookie season, but he was more than promising enough to cement himself as a player who has the potential to be the Giants' long-term franchise QB, even finishing as a finalist in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
It's no secret that the 23-year-old is now one of the brightest young signal-callers in the NFL, and should only improve in a better situation. But on PFF's Bradley Locker's 2026 All-Breakout Team, Dart was nowhere to be found, as Locker instead penned Cam Ward as his breakout QB to watch in 2026.
"The 2025 quarterback class wasn’t as star-studded as the one prior, but it’s already produced three starters with upside going into 2026," Locker wrote. "Picking any of Ward, Tyler Shough or Jaxson Dart to excel in Year 2 would be valid, but Ward feels like the most logical selection."
Jaxson Dart is again being disrespected in favor of his fellow 2025 QBs
Locker noted that picking either Ward, Dart, or Tyler Shough as the QB breakout would suffice, but he made the wrong choice. The 2025 QB class has been better than anticipated, but people aren't talking about all the promise second-year man showed last year, despite losing all of his top weapons.
The debate over who is the best quarterback in the 2025 draft class has persisted for a while now, but if we're looking at actual NFL production, it has to be the Ole Miss product. The hype around Shough over just a few games is getting seriously overblown, and Ward had a worse passer rating than Geno Smith, Dillon Gabriel, and Carson Wentz in his rookie season.
Locker could be right in that the No. 1 pick definitely has the most upside, especially as his situation in Tennessee improves with Daboll now calling plays. But picking him as a breakout is just low-hanging fruit. The Titans brought in a better OC and spent on offense, while the Giants moves on offense aren't as flashy, they'll be just as impactful.
The worst part is that Abdul Carter was also snubbed from Locker's list, so it seems to me that the NFL is underestimating the breakout potential of both of New York's 2025 first-round picks. So as long as Jaxson Dart can stay healthy in 2026 and beyond, his status as the future of Big Blue is bright.
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