New York reportedly moves up to acquire QB Jaxson Dart in a trade deal with unnamed team.
The NY Giants went all-in for a new-look quarterback room in the 2025 NFL offseason, snagging Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, drafting QB Jaxson Dart, and ditching their initial pick of Abdul Carter. Here's the scoop on how it all went down.
Straight from ESPN, it appears the Giants had their hearts set on Jaxson Dart for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a team source, they made up their minds on Monday of draft week, and by golly, he sure seemed to check all the right boxes.
Interestingly enough, the Steelers picked defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with the 21st overall pick, allowing the Giants to grab Dart without having to shell out more than the 65th overall pick in a trade up.
One intriguing detail that didn't make it to draft day headlines was the apparent cold shoulder given to Shedeur Sanders. It seems the Giants and Sanders both knew they weren't meant for each other.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shed some light on that relationship, hinting that Sanders picked up on the Giants' lack of interest much earlier in the process. In fact, he had a hunch that New York wasn't his fit even before they gave him a workout. Apparently, Sanders and the coaches just didn't click – go figure!
It turned out for the best, though, as Sanders dropped all the way down to the fifth round and was eventually scooped up by the Browns, while the Giants are poised to roll out Russell Wilson as their Week 1 starter in 2025.
Jaxson Dart will watch, learn, and bide his time on the bench, soaking up wisdom from the coaching staff and Wilson's experienced QB brain.
Bottom line: The Giants went for it, grabbed Dart, and chose wisely in the end. Sanders might not have been the right fit for their squad.
[1] Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/story/_/id/35652719/inside-new-york-giants-selection-jaxson-dart-nfl-draft[2] Source: https://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/2523566[3] Source: https://www.si.com/nfl/2025/draft/note/new-york-giants-trade-up-for-jaxson-dart-in-2025-nfl-draft[4] Off-topic, but interesting tidbit: It's worth noting that Jaxson Dart is often mistakenly linked to USC, but he, in fact, hails from Ole Miss.[5] Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2025-nfl-draft-why-wasnt-ole-miss-qb-jaxson-dart-mocked-by-more-teams-the-mississippi-stand-up/
[1] Rumors swirled about the New York Giants showing interest in Shedeur Sanders, but it was clear they had their sights set on Jaxson Dart for the 2025 NFL Draft, according to a team source.
[2] There were rumors that the Giants might trade up to snag Dart, but they managed to grab him without trading any draft picks, thanks to Derrick Harmon being picked by the Steelers with the 21st overall pick.
[3] Despite the Giants' apparent interest in Shedeur Sanders, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that Sanders had already sensed the lack of interest from Giants coaches before even being invited for a workout.
[4] In the 2025 NFL offseason, the NFC's New York Giants agreed to bring in Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and drafted QB Jaxson Dart, with Sanders falling to the Browns in the fifth round.
[5] Jaxson Dart, who actually hails from Ole Miss contrary to some misconceptions, will serve as the backup to Russell Wilson in 2025, receiving valuable guidance while watching and learning from the veteran NFL quarterback.
