There’s no doubt that in this past NFL Draft, the overall quarterback talent wasn’t the strongest – and there are many questions surrounding all of them. Cam Ward, selected first overall by the Tennessee Titans, had been projected just a year earlier to go in the third or fourth round, so there are no real guarantees.
Jaxson Dart shows his arm strength during the summer with an impressive lake pass
In that same first round, with the 25th pick, the Giants traded up to select Jaxson Dart, who showed talent in his final year at Ole Miss. However, most projections had him as a third-round caliber quarterback. But due to New York’s need at the position, they took Dart – and since joining the team, he’s struggled during practices.
Earlier this week, Jaxson Dart was listed as the team’s QB3, which might even be painful for fans to accept, considering he was a first-round pick. When a quarterback is drafted that high, they’re usually expected to become the face of the franchise almost immediately – but that hasn’t been the case so far.
Jaxson Dart has a lot of work ahead, according to Mike Kafka
The man leading the offense will be Russell Wilson – and after Dart’s early performances in training camp, there’s no debate about that. You’d think Dart would at least be the backup, but not even that: the Giants’ QB2 will be veteran Jameis Winston. That means Dart will have to spend this year learning.
“He’s able to grow and learn from those examples, and now that he’s starting to stack more reps and more reads – which we also work on a lot during walkthroughs – he’s starting to put the picture together a little bit better and more clearly for a rookie,” said Mike Kafka, the Giants’ offensive coordinator. “I’d say Jaxson is right on schedule in terms of what we expected – just understanding the offense, continuing to grow and learn every day.”
So Jaxson Dart has a lot of work ahead. The opportunity will surely come, but now is not the time. Still, it must be said: when a first-round pick ends up as the third-string quarterback, that’s definitely a warning light flashing inside the New York Giants organization.