He’s not Eli Manning. But Jaxson Dart doesn’t have to be. That calm, collected presence? It’s there.
The Ole Miss connection? There. The commitment to learning-not just plays, but how to lead under pressure? That might be the biggest parallel of all.
Dart didn’t arrive at Giants minicamp expecting to be handed the keys. He came ready to earn them. Every overthrown ball, every botched read? It’s fuel. “You’ve got to be aggressive,” he said after practice. “This is the time to take those chances. Make the mistakes now, learn from them now.”
The Giants knew what they were doing when they traded up to grab him at No. 25. They weren’t looking for a Day 1 starter. They were looking for someone with a ceiling-and the mindset to reach it. That’s what Dart brings: high tools, low ego.
And here’s where it gets interesting. Eli Manning-yes, that Eli-is quietly in his corner. “It’s his journey,” Manning told NFL Network. “But if he needs anything, I’m here.” It’s classic Eli: low-key mentorship without the pressure. Just support. Quiet belief.
Inside the Giants’ Quiet Quarterback Experiment-and Why Dart’s Slower Start Might Be His Biggest Advantage
Manning’s followed Dart’s rise-from USC flashes to SEC dominance, including a ridiculous 515-yard, 6-touchdown game vs. Arkansas. He’s seen the tape. And he sees the potential. “He’s gotten better every year,” Manning said. “That’s what matters.”
Right now, Dart is sitting behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. No spotlight, no rush. Just film sessions, breakdowns, and time with a coaching staff built to develop quarterbacks. Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka aren’t just teaching him a playbook-they’re building habits, composure, and poise.
That approach? It’s how Manning started. It’s how Rodgers started. And it’s how Dart might just find his way to the front of the line, without skipping steps.
So when Dart embraces a mistake in practice, shrugs, and smiles while talking about what he’ll fix tomorrow, it’s not cockiness. It’s awareness. He knows what this is: a process. And if he sticks with it, the Giants might just have something special again-quiet, tough, and ready for the moment.
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