NFL
By: Rick O’Donnnell
When the New York Giants signed two quarterbacks this offseason, it pushed the need at the position down from extreme need to slightly need. While they didn’t have to panic during the draft, their actual pick at quarterback had some scratching their head. With the second pick, the Giants selected Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss. Depending on who you asked, Dart was ranked somewhere around the 5th best QB on the board, but New York was comfortable making him the second one chosen. What made him leapfrog the other QBs in this year’s class?
Where He Should Succeeed:
First and foremost, Jaxson Dart has a live arm. He can hit a WR in stride for the big play, although his throws can sometimes fade and slow down a receiver. He can make throws down the sideline where guys like Malik Nabers succeed. Accuracy is one of his greatest assets and one-on-one matchups should favor the Giants when he’s under center.
He’s got the size and just enough speed to make defenses pay should he have to take off on broken plays/good defensive coverage. He won’t be a rushing quarterback but more often than not he’ll be able to tuck the ball and gain positive yards if the throws aren’t there. The Giants would like to try and develop him into the same mold as HC Brian Daboll did Josh Allen in Buffalo.
While he might not have the size and strength as Allen, he doesn’t need to bulk up too much to achieve the same success. None of which needs to be achieved on day 1. The Giants gave Dart the best opportunity to succeed by signing two veterans in the offseason so he won’t have to rush onto the field. To be able to take your time and learn the speed of the game is a rare resource in today’s NFL. If he can use all the resources at his disposal to improve in zone coverage, he can be a big threat with the talent they have.
He’s tough and driven to win, which will be huge for the Giants. New York is in a division with very passionate fans. If Jaxson Dart can come in with the toughness he has and a bit of energy, it won’t be long before he wins fans over. He won’t have the pressure of being a top 5 pick, nor will he have the pressure of being a team’s first pick, but he’ll still have to face the New York media. A little confidence and intensity will go a long way.
Where He Could Struggle:
Most of Dart’s highlights show big plays with wide-open receivers. In today’s NFL, there won’t be as many opportunities to have that much room to throw deep downfield. Not that it won’t happen, but it’s less likely. Where Dart will need to pivot is more towards the fast-paced offense that can chip away and create those big plays. He’ll need to work with speed of plays and consistency in a fast-paced offense.
One of high biggest red flags is also one of the Giant’s biggest red flags. When it comes to pressure situations in the backfield, he often struggles. That’s not a good sign since New York was one of the worst offensive lines in the league last season.
The Giants don’t have a bail-out TE option. When it comes to QBs who struggle under pressure, teams with better success rates usually have a tight end who QBs can dump the ball to for quick yards or move the chains. Theo Johnson was their leading receiver at TE last year and only managed 29 catches for 331 yards and a single TD. Without that type of player at tight end, teams often turn to their running backs. New York’s best receiving back last year was Tyron Tracy with 284 yards on 38 catches and also a solo TD. The Giants don’t exactly have a “bail young QBs out” type of players just yet but we’ll see how this year’s free agents and draftees can fix that.
The New York Giants set Jaxson Dart up for success. Even if they did enough in the offseason for him to play right away, they don’t need to rush his development. If he struggles in camp, he can sit and learn. If the team isn’t where they need to be for him to develop, they can use this year as a learning tool and continue to build. Whether or not he was the best quarterback available when the Giants picked, he clearly was a QB they thought would be the best fit for the team and that’s what matters.
Coaches don’t always draft the shiniest object on the board. He has to fit their style and their offense with room to develop. Jaxson Dart does that for the Giants.
