The New York Giants moved back into the first round to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Giants traded with the Houston Texans, who received Nos. 34, 99 and a 2026 third-rounder in exchange for moving back.
Last season, Dart was one of the top quarterbacks in college football. He led the SEC in completion percentage (69.3) and passing yards (4,279), and he led all FBS passers in yards per attempt (10.8) and passer rating (180.7). He threw 29 touchdown passes against six interceptions in 398 pass attempts. The Utah native added 495 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Dart was a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches and a finalist for the Manning Award (given to the top college football QB) and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (given to the nation’s top upperclassman QB).
Dart’s top performance last season came in Ole Miss’ 63-31 win over Arkansas on Nov. 2, when he completed 25-of-31 passes for a season-high 515 yards and six touchdowns. He also was named the MVP of the Gator Bowl — throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns — in a win over Duke in his final college game.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Corner Canyon's Jaxson Dart during the 6A state football championship game against Lone Peak at Cedar Valley High School in Eagle Mountain on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020.
Dart spent three seasons at Ole Miss as starting quarterback after transferring from the University of Southern California, where he played for one year. For his college career, Dart totaled 81 touchdown passes, 27 interceptions and 11,970 yards. He added 1,541 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns with his legs. At Ole Miss, Dart set several school records, including most wins by a starting quarterback (28), passing yards (10,617) and passer rating (162.8).
Dart was the third-highest rated quarterback — behind Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — on draft expert Dane Brugler’s big board. He now enters a Giants quarterback room that already signed veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston during the 2025 offseason.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
Dart ranked No. 49 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“With his physical tools and rhythm passing, he was an ideal fit in Lane Kiffin’s quarterback-friendly offense, although the simplistic nature of the scheme leaves NFL scouts questioning his post-snap decision-making process when reads aren’t as structured and predetermined. The other key concern is his tendency to prematurely drop his eyes once the pocket gets heated. However, his athleticism to buy time and scramble for positive yards is an asset. Overall, Dart needs time to develop his progression-based reads and anticipation, but he is a natural thrower of the football with promising mobility and high-level competitive intangibles. If allowed to develop at his own pace, he offers NFL starting upside in the right situation.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous coach had to say about Dart in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“I do think he’s talented. He’s got a live arm and is athletic, but he’s very streaky. My biggest question on him is he was just OK when they faced good opponents. They had a lot of talent on that team (in 2024), and they looked tight whenever the pressure got hot.”
