Jaxson Dart scouting report: What NFL Draft experts said about Giants QB

Kevin Hickey

Jaxson Dart scouting report: What NFL Draft experts said about Giants QB image

The New York Giants have the quarterback of the future.

After grabbing Penn State star Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick, the Giants made the move to get back into the first round through a trade with the Houston Texans.

The Giants acquired the No. 25 overall pick in exchange for the Nos. 34 and 99 overall picks, along with a 2026 third-rounder.

Following the trade, the Giants took Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart despite the fact that Colorado's Shedeur Sanders was still on the board.  

Here's what the NFL draft scouting reports said about Dart ahead of the draft:

Jaxson Dart scouting report

Dane Brugler, The Athletic (draft guide):

Brugler: "Overall, Dart needs time to develop his progression-based reads and anticipation (things he wasn't asked to regularly do in college), but he is a natural thrower of the football with promising mobility and high-level competitive intangibles. If allowed to develop at his own pace, he offers NFL starting upside in the right situation."


Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Zierlein: "Three-year SEC starter who saw improvement in play and production season after season. Dart has a stocky build and average physical attributes but good makeup and intangibles. He’s fairly accurate and rarely overcomplicates things for himself. He won’t strike anyone as a running quarterback, but he can find tough yards on the ground. He can make full-field reads but looks more comfortable grazing from the trough of the simple. He will need to work with better anticipation and decisiveness to win in tight windows as a pro. Teams might see physical and play similarities between Dart and Brock Purdy but such a pathway for Dart likely requires a balanced, ball-control passing attack that allows him to manage the game instead of driving it."


Dame Parson, Bleacher Report

Parson: "Overall, Jaxson Dart has a good physical skill set to be an effective starting quarterback. His ability to change up the speeds of his passes will translate well to the league. He is more than willing to take the check down underneath. Dart's ability to pickup an NFL offense will determine how early he sees the field and the success that comes with it."


Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network

Cummings: "Looking at the physical profile, it’s easy to see why. At 6’2″, 223 pounds, he has good size, great athleticism, and toughness, plus a loose, elastic arm that can layer throws.

The big question, how translatable is his game is to the pros? There are flashes of window anticipation on film, but NFL progression work is scant, and he often drops his eyes under pressure. Starter potential is there, but he has work to do before he harnesses it."


Pro Football Focus

PFF: "Dart brings an intriguing two-sport throwing background (baseball and football) to the quarterback position, along with natural movement skills and playmaking ability outside of structure. However, much of his success at Ole Miss felt scheme-dependent. To truly attack defenses with anticipation and ball placement, he must improve his full-field reads and refine his fundamentals."

Kevin Hickey

Hickey was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Colts Wire. His work is also featured as a fantasy football analyst for The Huddle. A career .232 hitter, he is an avid reader of Spider-Man comics, an admirer of the James Webb Space Telescope, and a keen enthusiast of Ma’s sauce. You can find him on Twitter/X @KevinHickey11