Dart Embracing Opportunity Behind Giants Veterans

The New York Giants drafted quarterback Jaxson Dart with little intention of playing him in Year 1. Dart may see time when the games don’t matter, or after the Week 14 bye week gives him ample time to prepare. But the Giants didn’t just sign a starter for him to compete with; they insulated the room with both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to ensure he only plays on their terms.

Wilson, signed to a $10.5 million deal in March, is set to start in Week 1, and at the very least through the first portion of the season that sees New York play its division rivals, along with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.

Not every prospect is comfortable with that kind of environment. Dart has been quick to confirm that he’s on board with the team’s plans, and it is part of why he checked so many boxes for the front office during the pre-draft process.

The Giants’ rookie is showing the makeup that made him a first-round pick, most recently in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

"Our sole focus as a quarterback room is to win games," said Dart. "That's what we come to work every single day to do. We want to win. So, we all have the same focus. We have the same intent of what we're doing and how we're trying to handle it, and make the team better. So obviously, you're competing. But you know, those guys, they've been in my shoes. They were rookies once, too. So they understand the growing pains."

Wilson and Winston have over two decades of experience between them. Wilson won a Super Bowl and lost another while rising from third-round pick to a full-fledged superstar. Winston, the first-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, knows all about the expectations Dart is facing.

Together, they’ll take on New York and hope to be the mentors Dart needs to successfully leap from SEC star to NFL stalwart.

At rookie camp, Dart emphasized how he is willing to sit behind those veterans as he gets acclimated to the next level.

“Golly, yeah, they've been great,” he said at rookie camp. “They were some of the first people to text me when I got drafted. And I thought that was just super cool. Those are guys that I've looked up to for such a long time. I've said this before, I remember I was wearing Russell's jersey with the Seahawks when he won a Super Bowl. So, like I said, these guys have been people who I've really looked up to. And I hold them in the highest regard.

“So, I think for me, being in this situation, being able to be a sponge and soak in all the information that I can, will help elevate me. And then at the same time, I just want to compete and make everybody else better in the room as well.”