The New York Giants showed on Thursday night that they believe Jaxson Dart can be their quarterback of the future, but does he have a chance to step in and help as a rookie? It does not sound like head coach Brian Daboll has ruled it out.
The Giants acquired an additional first-round pick (25th overall) via a trade with the Houston Texans during the draft. They then used the selection on Dart, which was somewhat surprising given that they had been linked to Shedeur Sanders.
After their team made the Dart pick, Daboll and Giants general manager Joe Schoen were asked if the plan is for the former Ole Miss star to sit behind Russell Wilson this season. Daboll called Wilson the Giants’ starter, but he seemed to leave the door open for that to change.
“That’ll play out. Russ will be our starter and that’s how it’ll be once we get started here in the spring,” Daboll said. “Look, the process of developing a quarterback is just that. We’re gonna do everything we can to develop him and bring him along. We have some good quarterbacks in the room, relative to play time, experience, some medals on the wall, if you will.”
Daboll praised both Wilson and Jameis Winston for the work they have done in the early part of voluntary workouts. He added that there is a “long way to go” with the entire quarterback room and that he wanted Thursday to be Dart’s night.
"Russ will be our starter and that's how it will be once we get started here in the spring"
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) April 25, 2025
Brian Daboll says that Russell Wilson will be the Giants' starting quarterback: pic.twitter.com/AbHXEIuOUx
Wilson, who is 36, has a very complicated incentives package in his contract with the Giants. He undoubtedly signed with New York because he felt he had a good chance to win the starting job, and that should be the case even with Dart in the picture.
Dart led the SEC with 4,279 passing yards last season. He threw 29 touchdown passes. He is viewed as a raw prospect, but the Giants obviously believe in his potential.
Wilson will likely enter the season as New York’s starter, but the pressure will mount quickly if he struggles. Daboll is on the hot seat to begin the year, so he might be quick to make a switch if Wilson starts losing games.
