New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart showed plenty of upside on first drive vs. Chargers

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 2:43 PM ET

Earlier this week, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed he was benching Russell Wilson and replacing him with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. The decision raised eyebrows.

After an 0-3 start, it seemed like the wrong time for the Giants to throw in Dart. And should his first start be against the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers, who ranked ninth in the NFL in passing yards allowed (182 YPG) entering Sunday's game?

However, if Dart's first drive against the Chargers in Sunday's home game was a sign of things to come, Giants fans can breathe a sigh of relief. The 25th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft should be more than fine.

Jaxson Dart looked pro-ready on first drive

Dart engineered a nine-play, 89-yard drive, capping it off with a 15-yard touchdown run. That wasn't the only time the USC/Ole Miss product showcased his legs. He rushed three times for 28 yards on the drive.

Jaxson Dart takes it in himself for the TD!

LACvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/uO4uK3jxvO
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

In the passing game, the Giants didn't put too much on his plate, letting him throw just three times. However, he completed 2-of-3 attempts for 20 yards. On the incompletion, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still was flagged for pass interference.

Dart's first drive showed why the Giants believed he was ready to go. It also proved the QB has plenty of moxie, which New York offensive coordinator Mike Kafka raved about ahead of Sunday's game.

"That's what you want in a quarterback," Kafka said of the QB's confidence, via the team's website. "Swagger, confidence, I think they're kind of one and the same. How you want to define it, I think Jaxson has that."

That confidence could help Dart solidify himself as the QB of the future this season. It could also rejuvenate a team that has grown accustomed to losing. Entering Sunday, New York was 3-17 in its last 20 games.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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