New York Giants Trade Back Into First Round to Select Franchise QB

Newsweek

25-04-2025

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The New York Giants pulled off the second major trade of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, trading back into the first round and passing on Shedeur Sanders to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Giants sent the No. 34 pick in Round 2, as well as the No. 99 pick in Round 3, and a 2026 third-rounder to the Houston Texans in exchange for the No. 25 pick.
And now Brian Daboll has his future quarterback, who has a very similar skill set to Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen, at least on paper.
Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) throws the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) throws the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Last season with the Rebels, Dart was a machine, completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards an 29 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also led the NCAA with a 180.7 QB rating, and 11.53 adjusted yards gained per attempt. He averaged 15.5 yards per completion, 329.2 yards per fame, and thew touchdowns on 7.3 percent of his passes.
He also became the all-time leading passer in the history of Ole Miss football, passing the likes of Eli and Archie Manning in the process, while keeping the Rebels in the hunt for the College Football Playoff for most of the season.
And that was just through the air.
Dart was also an elite threat running the ball, carrying it 124 times for 495 yards and three scores and displaying unparalleled toughness for a quarterback.
There are some knocks against Dart, mostly with his decision making through the air and his willingness to take big hits in the run game. Nevertheless, he's a heck of a competitor, and could help set the culture for the Giants.
As for Sanders, many experts such as Mel Kiper Jr., believe this could spell disaster for his draft stock, as it already has, and cause a fall from the first round.
In the event that happens, Sanders would likely have two options. First, he would have to hope another team wants to trade up for him in Round 1 like the Browns, or hope that another team that doesn't have a huge QB need wants to take a chance on him.
Meanwhile, the Giants hit a major home run on Thursday night, not only getting their future quarterback, but also landing Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in Round 1, and getting a generation pass rusher in the process.