Jaxson Dart Didn't Hesitate to Name Best Player He Faced While at Ole Miss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated May 10, 2025 1:41 PM ET

The Ole Miss football team will be undergoing a dramatic shift this season as they transition past the Jaxson Dart era. He was the starter under center for three seasons for the Rebels, and he broke numerous records previously set by program legend Eli Manning.

Dart was selected with the No. 25 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft. The team demonstrated their desire for the young signal-caller by trading back into the first round and taking the Ole Miss product. Dart learned a lot in Oxford under head coach Lane Kiffin, and he got to play against incredible talent in the SEC to prepare him for the professional level.

However, Dart recently revealed that the best player he played against was not an SEC foe at all. Instead, he said that former Penn State edge rusher and current Giants teammate Abdul Carter was the best player he faced off against.

"Obviously, we played against each other," Dart said to Carter. "And in all my meetings, I was like, 'This is the best guy I played against,' so we're turning up."

Dart has always been one to show respect to his opponents, but now, that once-feared opponent will be his teammate. He and Carter will be a formidable duo in New York over the next several seasons, even though their relationship began as enemies while the two were in college.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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