New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart John Jones-Imagn Images

Jaxson Dart One of Biggest NY Giants Storylines Ahead of Mandatory Minicamp

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Abby Dixon | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 7:00 PM ET

With mandatory minicamp kicking off this week, the NY Giants have made it clear that veteran quarterback Russell Wilson will be the team’s Week 1 starter.

With the starting job off the table for now, first-round draft pick Jaxson Dart, whom CBS Sports recently named as part of a list of players who need to impress during minicamps, is someone who will draw heavy interest over the next two days.

The Giants organization is all in on Dart as their future quarterback and for a good reason. He posted a strong senior season for the Ole Miss Rebels in 2024, throwing for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while completing 69.3% of his passes.

He also rushed for 495 yards and three scores, showcasing the kind of mobility that could relieve some pressure from the Giants offensive line.

Although Dart isn’t going to be a polished Day 1 starter, the rookie has a very strong foundation to build from, as well as a strong support system around him that includes Wilson, Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito, and, of course, the coaches.

The plan for Dart appears to be for him to sit for the start of the season and perhaps the duration, depending on how quickly he develops and how the team does with Wilson under center.

At 6’2” and 223 pounds, Dart has the physical tools to handle the demands of the position. The question is how quickly he can adjust to the speed of the pro level and process defenses quickly enough to compete at the NFL level.

Early observations about Dart have been promising. The rookie has shown confidence and vision when making risky throws. He’s also had his share of bumps, including holding onto the ball too long and making some ill-advised throws.

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Jaxson Dart’s future is bright

If Dart, who is expected to receive a healthy dose of preseason snaps so he can experience the speed of the game, shows rapid improvement, the Giants could be faced with an intriguing decision late in the season to where they could look to move the rookie ahead of Winston on the depth chart so that he has a chance to get into some games.

If New York finds itself out of playoff contention in the second half of the season, it makes sense to give Dart some in-game reps to evaluate his progress.

That scenario would mirror what the franchise did with DeVito in 2023 when the team turned to the undrafted rookie after injuries depleted the quarterback room.

Dart is no placeholder, though. As a first-round pick, he’s viewed as a future starter, and the Giants will want to give him every opportunity to develop into that, especially with their veterans on short-term contracts.

For now, the focus will be on laying the foundation, building chemistry with new teammates, and absorbing the playbook.

If Dart can string together a strong minicamp and continue that momentum into the preseason, he’ll make it much harder for the Giants to ignore him when it comes time to think about the future.