Where Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter rank among the best Giants rookies since 2000

The New York Giants have a very promising future ahead of them. With John Harbaugh in as the new head coach, it's full steam ahead.

Harbaugh will play a big part, but it's the roster he's leading that is the root cause of all the hoopla. There's some serious talent inside the Giants locker room, waiting to be developed. Big Blue has up-and-coming stars at almost every important position, with their rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and rookie linebacker Abdul Carter earning some pretty lofty praise as awards season arrives.

The two 2025 first-rounders have both been nominated for some postseason hardware, with Dart being a finalist for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and Carter being a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award:

With their electric rookie seasons coming to an end and recognition coming in, I felt it necessary to take a look at the Giants' best rookie seasons since 2000 to see where the dynamic duo falls. To my surprise, one of them made the list, while the other sat it out on the good 'ole honorable mentions list. Let's get listing.

Giants' top 10 rookie seasons since 2000

Honorable mentions

Let's get these guys out of the way -- I'll stick to my top three. In no order, Abdul Carter, Azeez Ojulari, and Evan Engram were right on the bubble, but ultimately didn't crack the top 10.

If Carter played his entire rookie season like he did his last five games, he could have made the case for the top three. Better late than never, but still fell short. As for Ojulari, he had a real case with 8.0 sacks in 2021. Engram put up over 700 receiving yards and six touchdowns, but it ultimately wasn't enough to usurp other receivers with better numbers.

Cam Skattebo also garnered consideration, but he ultimately scored a "Did Not Qualify" due to his season-ending injury.

10. Darius Slayton (2019)

Speaking of players whose box score outshone Engram, welcome, Darius Slayton. While his hands might resemble feet at times, his 2019 rookie season was pretty special, especially for a fifth-rounder.

He finished the season with 740 yards on 48 receptions, including eight touchdowns, which tied A.J. Brown for the lead among rooks. If only he could have continued Brown's trajectory...

9. Landon Collins (2015)

Collins hit the ground running in East Rutherford, earning the starting role immediately and playing all 16 games. The G-Men selected the Alabama safety with the first pick of the second round, and it instantly paid dividends. He earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, amassing 112 total tackles, with five for loss. Big Blue let him walk in free agency in 2019 due to his high price tag.

8. Hakeem Nicks (2009)

If only Hakeem Nicks and his 6-foot-1 frame took a liking to basketball, because Nicks on the Knicks could have been absolute blockbuster. Instead, he stuck it out with football, which worked out well for him.

The 2009 first-round receiver out of North Carolina reeled in 47 receptions for 790 yards and six scores. He scored a touchdown in four consecutive games, earning October's Offensive Rookie of the Month.

7. Daniel Jones (2019)

Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling (Danny Boy song callback... nice). Anyway, I mean, what could have been. Am I right? Jones had the near-impossible task of replacing Eli Manning, but his rookie season actually showed some real hope that he could.

The Duke Blue Devil standout threw for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns, while adding 279 yards and two scores with his legs. The turnovers held him back in the rankings, and rightfully so -- 12 interceptions and 18 fumbles (11 lost) were tough to overcome and place him any higher.

6. Tyrone Tracy Jr. (2024)

Danny Dimes had big shoes to fill, replacing Eli... Tyrone Tracy Jr. had a similar experience, doing his best to replace Saquon Barkley. Tough. The fifth-rounder out of Purdue did his best -- 1,123 all-purpose yards and six scores put him on the map and gave the Giants hope that their bottomless pit of misery could be coming to an end sooner than expected.

And now the top five will get their own custom graphics.

5. Jaxson Dart (2025)

Call it recency bias all you want, but I wasn't able to drop Dart Vader out of the top five. I wanted to put him first, but... you'll see the competition and understand when reality hit me.

Dart didn't have the passing numbers that Jones had, but he bested him in passer rating (91.7), quarterback rating (57.6), and completion percentage (63.7). His 487 yards and nine scores on the ground also helped him out. Plus, the Ole Miss star was a vibe, and that has to count for something.

4. Jeremy Shockey (2002)

Mark Bavaro might be the undisputed "best" tight end in Big Blue's history books, but make no mistake about it -- the best receiving TE in franchise history goes to Jeremy Shockey, whose career started off with a bang.

The former Miami star caught 74 passes for 894 yards and two touchdowns. He earned a Pro Bowl spot, along with placing second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, losing to Clinton Portis. Oh, and he was also a First-Team All-Pro. Not too shabby.

3. Malik Nabers (2024)

Like a good Nabers, Leek is there. Like, literally there, catching all the passes. We're talking historic numbers, setting the franchise record for most receptions in a season with 109, which also set the NFL rookie record for wide receivers, too.

The LSU superstar took the league by storm, posting you-might-need-to-do-a-double-take numbers, such as his 1,204 receiving yards in 15 games with seven scores to boot. His historic debut earned him Pro Bowl honors, as well as a top-five finish for OROY.

2. Saquon Barkley (2018)

We've seen finalists and runners-up for the league's best offensive rookie, but we have yet to see a Giant win it. Until now. Barkley's 2018 season was ridiculously dumb in the best way possible.

He instantly became the focal point of the offense, totaling 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, with 91 receptions for 721 yards and four more scores through the air. Barkley's 2,028 scrimmage yards led the entire league, which also got him his first Pro Bowl nod. If only general manager Joe Schoen hadn't let him walk for nothing.

1. Odell Beckham Jr. (2014)

If Nabers' and Barkley's rookie seasons were historic, OBJ's was legendary. There's a strong case to be made that there will never be another rookie season like the one No. 13 had in 2014. Seriously, his rookie numbers are bonkers: 91 receptions, 1,305 receiving yards, and 12 scores... in 12 games.

The stats might not last throughout history, but nothing will ever top his one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. It might go down as the single-greatest catch of all time -- something Giants fans know a thing or two about.