The New York Giants, who tied for the worst record in the NFL last season, made a bold move in the draft on Thursday in their bid for improvement.
Having already added Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, the Giants swung a trade with the Houston Texans and chose Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart 25th overall.
Houston received two picks to be made on Friday (No. 34 overall in the second round and No. 99 overall in the third round) plus a 2026 third-rounder.
The move adds Dart to a suddenly crowded Giants quarterback corps. In March, New York signed 36-year-old veteran Russell Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million deal and gave 31-year-old Jameis Winston a two-year, $8 million contract.
“Russ will be our starter,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said after Dart was selected. “(Dart) can come in, sit behind a couple veteran quarterbacks and learn.”
Dart acknowledged he isn’t accustomed to sitting and watching, but said he relishes the opportunity before him.
“Yeah, (not starting is) definitely new, but for me, this is just where my journey starts,” Dart said.
“I’m stepping into an amazing room with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who can see it from a different lens at such an elite level. I can’t wait to go learn from him, go learn from all the other guys in (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) and (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) in the room and then just the team as a whole,” he added.
Dart and Cam Ward, selected No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans, were the only quarterbacks chosen in the first round. By obtaining Dart in the opening round, the Giants ultimately would be able to keep him on a fifth-year option. General manager Joe Schoen said the Giants were determined to keep the No. 65 pick to help add to the roster on Friday night when the draft continues.
He said the process of hunting for a quarterback to be the future of the franchise was gratifying but also trying.
‘It’s been exhausting, to be honest with you. We’ve been, whether it’s here all week and then you go on the road in the fall or all the way up to Easter weekend, we’re still on the road,” Schoen said. “Credit to the coaches, my staff, the film they watch, the area scouts putting us in the correct direction on the quarterbacks to go see.”
Dart started his college career at Southern California in 2021 but transferred to Ole Miss when Caleb Williams was set to take over as the Trojans’ QB. Williams was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft by the Chicago Bears.
As a three-year starter for the Rebels, Dart completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 10,617 yards and 72 touchdowns with 22 interceptions. Last season, he guided Ole Miss to a 10-3 record, including a win over Duke in the Gator Bowl, while connecting on 69.3 percent of his throws for 4,279 yards. He threw for 29 TDs and was picked off six times.
–Field Level Media
