OXFORD, Miss. — The New York Giants’ history is traced in blue and white, but its quarterback heritage has a distinct shade of red from these parts.
From Charlie Conerly’s championship run in the ’50s to Eli Manning’s two Super Bowls, the Giants’ most luminous highs have often belonged to former Ole Miss quarterbacks.
When the Giants traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick, it was more than another swing at the future. It was, in some ways, a homecoming..
Dart’s journey to East Rutherford is the latest chapter in a story that began nearly 70 years ago.
Conerly, the first Rebel to make his mark in New York, led the Giants to the 1956 NFL Championship, earning a spot in the franchise’s ring of honor.
Eli Manning, Conerly’s spiritual successor, delivered two Super Bowl titles, cementing himself as one of the city’s most beloved athletes. Now, as the Giants rebuild, they’re once again betting on the Oxford pipeline.
Archie Manning, patriarch of the Manning quarterback dynasty and a Giants fan favorite from afar, spoke candidly about Dart’s arrival during the recent Manning Passing Academy.
“Jaxson played a lot of games at Ole Miss. A lot of good football and won a lot of games. I was just excited for him to be drafted in the first round, particularly to the New York Giants,” Archie said. “We like the Giants.”
“I was excited for Jaxson to be drafted in the first round, particularly to the New York Giants.”
Ole Miss legend Archie Manning spent time with Jaxson Dart in New York last week after Dart joined Archie and Eli Manning as the only Rebel QBs to ever be drafted in the 1st round: pic.twitter.com/EGJKNMwwfT
— Matt DeGregorio (@Matt_DeGregorio) June 28, 2025
Archie’s endorsement is not given lightly. He spent time with Dart in New York only days before the draft.
“He’s a good guy, good player. He’s very smart. It’d probably serve him well to not get thrown in right away,” Archie said, acknowledging the pressure cooker that is playing quarterback in New York. “The Giants aren’t world-beaters right now. But I think any indication of what kind of person he was and the way he worked and played at Ole Miss, he can be successful.”
Dart’s collegiate career at Ole Miss was one of quiet consistency and record-breaking efficiency. He leaves Oxford as the program’s all-time leader in wins (28), winning percentage (.737), total offense (12,115 yards), passing yards (10,617), passing efficiency (162.8), and 300-yard passing games (15).
He’s second in career passing touchdowns (72) and total touchdowns responsible (84), breaking records that had stood since the Eli Manning era.
His senior year was particularly strong: Dart completed 69.3% of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, boasting an efficiency rating of 180.7.
Those numbers caught the eye of Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
The Giants orchestrated a high-profile trade with Houston, sending their 34th and 99th picks plus a 2026 third-rounder to move up for Dart.
“When we got the yes from Houston, we were all ecstatic,” Schoen told Giants.com, underscoring how targeted their pursuit of Dart had been.
The rookie’s transition to the NFL comes with no shortage of intrigue—and challenge. Dart enters a quarterback room led by veteran Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Giants in March.
Wilson is the clear starter, but the Giants’ investment in Dart signals their view of him as a potential successor. Jameis Winston, another former first-round pick, rounds out the depth chart, creating a mix of mentorship and competition.
For now, the plan is patience.
“It’d probably serve him well to not get thrown in right away,” Archie Manning said, echoing a sentiment shared by many in the Giants’ front office.
Dart is projected to begin his rookie campaign as Wilson’s primary backup. Still, New York’s preseason schedule with games against the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and New England Patriots will offer Dart extensive snaps and a chance to accelerate his learning curve.
Eli Manning, who has watched Dart closely, offered his own measured optimism.
“He seems like a great kid and has a good head on his shoulders,” he said. “I’m excited about his future”.
Giants fans, still searching for post-Eli stability, have reason for hope. Dart’s football IQ, leadership, and composure have drawn consistent praise from coaches and analysts alike.
“He’s very talented, big arm, very accurate. Mobile, the ability to get out of the pocket. He does a lot of things well,” Archie Manning said at the Manning Passing Academy.
Dart’s ascent was not preordained. A transfer from USC, he battled for the starting role at Ole Miss and steadily elevated his game, culminating in a senior season that shattered school records and lifted the Rebels to national relevance.
His adaptability, on and off the field, has become a calling card.
“I gave it my best every single day. I didn’t waste a day,” Dart told The Rebel Walk, reflecting on his college career.
The Giants’ gamble on Dart is both a nod to tradition and a leap into the unknown. The pressure to live up to the Manning legacy is real, but so is the support network
“There’s just something about being in New York. Playing quarterback for the Giants, it’s different,” Archie Manning said.
Dart, for his part, seems unfazed. “Obviously going into this process and then at the same time watching Josh’s success from afar, I got excited about the opportunity,” he told Giants.com after the draft.
The Giants have not reached the playoffs since 2022 and have cycled through quarterbacks in search of the next Eli.
In Dart, they see not just a talented arm, but a leader shaped by the same environment that produced their greatest successes. Whether Dart can deliver on that promise remains to be seen.
For now, hope in East Rutherford runs through Oxford once again.
