Jaxson Dart was one of two Ole Miss players drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. After the Arizona Cardinals picked defensive tackle Walter Nolen with the 16th spot, Dart went late in the first round to New York.
The Giants traded back into the first round after selecting Penn State's edge quarterback Abdul Carter with the No.3 overall pick. They made the trade with Houston, gaining 25 picks while sending their No.34 and 99 picks and a third-round pick in the future. The Giants selected Dart, following in the footsteps of Rebels' legend quarterback Eli Manning, who won two Super Bowls with the organization.
PFF dropped their grades for all 32 first-round picks, and they weren't high on Dart to the Giants. They gave it a below-average grade, with the only other team to receive the low grade was the Dallas Cowboys' selection of Alabama guard Tyler Booker.
Here is the comment they made about Dart to the Giants:
"Opinions on Dart vary, but the Giants traded up to get their guy. His profile matches that of a starting-caliber quarterback, grading above the 89th percentile in five of PFF’s stable metrics, including a 94th percentile mark on early downs. Ole Miss’ offensive issues aside, Dart was the highest-graded passer in the 2025 draft class and showed strong downfield accuracy."
These are positive comments, but perhaps they believe the Giants did not need to trade up and could have waited until the 34th pick to get their guy. However, they may have received intel that others were interested in the all-time leading passer to play at Ole Miss and made their move.
It's an excellent spot for Dart, who will not be expected to start this season, with veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston signed to the room. Likely, he will not be thrown in at any point this season other than an injury crisis.