Lane Kiffin Makes Exciting Comparison for NY Giants' Jaxson Dart
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Soon, the New York Giants will fire up a new quarterback era. Jaxson Dart will be the one to take the lead.
Coming out of Ole Miss, Dart travels a similar path as the franchise's legendary quarterback, Eli Manning. Perhaps the comparisons helped the Giants make their decision to trade back into the first round during the 2025 NFL Draft to select Dart.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin recently suggested that Dart has "a lot of Eli Manning in him" on the 'Giants Huddle' podcast. For Giants fans, that's certainly an exciting comparison.
Manning played 43 games at Ole Miss before entering the NFL in 2004. He wrapped up his college career with over 10,000 passing yards and an 81-35 touchdown-interception ratio.
When Manning reached the 2004 NFL Draft, he was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers. The quarterback famously refused to play for them. As a result, the Chargers eventually had to swap out Manning for Philip Rivers and several other assets.
Jaxson Dart #2 of the Mississippi Rebels participates in a drill during Ole Miss Pro Day at the Manning Athletic Center on March 28, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi.
Jaxson Dart #2 of the Mississippi Rebels participates in a drill during Ole Miss Pro Day at the Manning Athletic Center on March 28, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi.Manning wasn't the full-time starter right away, but he started seven games during his rookie season. From that point on, he led the Giants until he was benched after four games during the 2019 NFL season.
The Giants rolled with Daniel Jones for several seasons, but put an end to that era during the 2024 NFL season. They hope that Dart can eventually take over. For the time being, Dart will hold the clipboard as a rookie, just as Manning did at first.
Dart enters the NFL after a 45-game run in the NCAA. Six of those games came at USC when he was a freshman. During Dart's 2023 season, he helped Ole Miss achieve a record of 11-2. He threw for 3,364 yards on 65 percent passing accuracy. Dart tossed 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Last year, Dart completed nearly 70 percent of his passes while totaling 4,279 yards. He totaled 29 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions.
Entering the NFL, Kiffin suggests that Dart is the "complete package" for the Giants. And even if the young quarterback is going through growing pains, the college coach strongly believes he's got the tools to overcome it.
"If he is struggling with something, he's going to find a way," Kiffin added. "He's going to stay after. He's going to do whatever it takes."
Dart had the opportunity to work directly with Kiffin, along with former Giants head coach Joe Judge. Dart recently spoke on Judge's impact in helping the young quarterback prepare for the next level through on-field preparation and film study.
This week, Dart will pair up with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to compete in his first NFL training camp. While Wilson is expected to start the year for the Giants, every snap will be important for Dart, as winning the backup position behind a one-year rental could lead to a major opportunity in year one.
For more New York Giants and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports
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