With the No. 25 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart was selected by the New York Giants.
Despite the draft pick, head coach Brian Daboll said Russell Wilson “will be our starter” as they head into the spring, per The Athletic’s Charlotte Carroll.
Wilson signed a one-year, $10.5 million deal with New York in late March after spending last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wilson being named New York’s starting quarterback comes as little surprise. After all, he’s a Super Bowl champion who has 13 years of experience under his belt.
Much of Wilson’s success came during his 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, and he spent the 2023 campaign with the Denver Broncos before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
The last two seasons have not been kind to Wilson, but the Giants will be hoping he can rebound in 2025.
Dart, meanwhile, spent all four seasons of his collegiate career with Ole Miss, capping it all off with a standout senior year. He threw for a career-high 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns on a 69.3 percent completion rate.
Dart led the Rebels to a 10-3 record (5-3 in SEC play), including a dominant 52-20 bowl game victory over Duke. In that final game, Dart was nearly flawless—posting 404 yards and four touchdowns on a 77.1 percent completion rate.
In Bleacher Report’s final mock draft, the Scouting Department projected Dart going No. 21 overall to the New Orleans Saints.
B/R NFL scout Dame Parson compared Dart to former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, highlighting several strengths:
— Possesses above-average arm strength with multiple arm slots
— Throws with good touch to layer passes over middle-of-field defenders
— Good athlete with ideal size/build, capable of extending plays and excelling on designed QB runs
— Flashes downfield passing ability against one-on-one coverage and isn’t shy about taking deep shots when he spots them early
The 6’2” quarterback was ranked as the No. 3 QB and No. 65 overall prospect on Bleacher Report’s final Big Board.
