Giants' Russell Wilson shows leadership in message to Jaxson Dart amid rough practice

As noted by Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com and Dan Duggan of The Athletic, New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart had a rough day during Wednesday's practice. 

Specifically, Dart’s first pass was intercepted by cornerback Nic Jones and taken to the house for a touchdown. 

Later in the day, veteran signal-caller Russell Wilson was asked if he addressed that pick-six with Dart. 

"I just told him, 'Next play,'" Wilson responded, as shared by the Giants' website. "...He's got a good head on his shoulders, and there's going to be plays that people make. You got to be able to think like a quarterback. You got to be able to move on to the next play, good or bad. And I think that's what we have to be able to do."

Earlier on Wednesday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll repeated what he said shortly after the club selected Dart in the first round of this year's draft and said that Wilson is New York's undisputed QB1 over both the first-year pro and backup Jameis Winston. Giants players previously spoke about how Wilson emerged as the offense's leader throughout springtime workouts, and it was clear on Wednesday that he has embraced that role. 

At this time last summer, Wilson and Justin Fields were competing for the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting job. On Wednesday, Wilson was asked what it means to know he is cemented atop the New York depth chart until further notice. 

"I'm always just focused on being the best version of me every day," Wilson said. "For me, my mentality is always to be the best in the world. I don't know anything else other than that. Just having that mentality and helping our football team win. I think that's the big thing that I'm really highly focused on, is elevating our practice, elevating our play, elevating our mentality and having a championship mentality daily. And I think that we're on that path. But we got to keep doing it daily, and it starts with me and my mindset and my energy and the way that I step into the huddle every day."

SNY's Connor Hughes was among those who mentioned on Wednesday that it's "very clear that Wilson is the best quarterback" on the Giants' roster this summer. Whether or not that will be the case a couple of months down the road shall be seen, but it seems Giants fans hoping Dart will emerge as the club's Week 1 starter by the end of the preseason should put such dreams to bed ahead of the fourth weekend of July.