The NFL draft is still a little under two months away, but excitement surrounding the three-day event is already at an all-time high. Outlets are putting out mock selections. Fans are eager to see who their favorite teams will decide on. And the prospects themselves just finished showcasing their wares at the recent combine. One such prospect is former Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, who looks to have made quite an impression this past weekend.
In fact, Dart’s combine showing had analyst Mike Tannenbaum projecting a first-round selection for the signal caller, adding that Dart “was clearly the best quarterback on the field” (during the combine) and “is the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s draft”, per Sports Illustrated’s John Macon Gillespie. This claim may also be backed up by how two teams reportedly believed that the quarterback would be taken “in the top half of the opening round”, via the Athletic insider Jeff Howe.
In addition to his combine performance, it helps how Dart is coming off his best season, having tallied 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns plus a 180.7 passer rating in 13 games. To cap off his collegiate career, the QB threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns as Ole Miss dismantled Duke in the Gator Bowl.
So yes, it won’t be surprising to hear Dart’s name get announced early on in the draft. Where will he end up, though? There’s no telling exactly, but if there’s one team that could use him, it’s the New York Giants.
Why Jaxson Dart to the Giants makes sense (on one certain condition)
First, a quick overview of the Giants’ current situation. Fresh off a horrid 3-14 season, New York’s biggest question mark appears under center. They cut ties with Daniel Jones late last season, making the conundrum bigger than ever (It’s not hard to argue that Jones’ performance sparked the QB problem to life). The brief stint with Drew Lock was underwhelming as well, making it clear that the Giants’ primary goal this offseason is to find a signal caller.
Will Jaxson Dart save the day for New York as the third overall pick? That question itself might rile up the critics. As much as Dart’s stock had supposedly risen due to his combine showing, the QB himself still has flaws that bring about debates on whether or not he’s even worthy of that number three — or even a first-round — selection. The biggest of these is Dart’s struggles when his first option isn’t open. Per Pro Football Focus, Dart’s PFF passing grade drops to 60.3 when he’s forced to switch from his initial look to find other options on the field (He holds a 92.9 PFF passing grade when throwing to his initial read, second-highest in the FBS). There are also talks of him lacking elite traits, which could end up haunting him in the pros.
So what now? Well, this is where the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes comes into play. See, rumor has it that the Giants are closing in on signing Rodgers. Whether they end up getting the 41-year-old or not, it just shows that New York is looking for a veteran signal-caller to add to their ranks. Assuming they get one in the offseason, it’ll make sense for the Giants to select Dart as their primary draft pick.
It’ll be a setup as old as time — the young prospect being mentored by the vet for the eventual passing of the torch. In fact, Rodgers did say late last year that he’d be willing to take on the mentor role if he remains with the New York Jets. While that isn’t the case anymore, one could hope that he’s still open to the role if the Giants somehow land him. But the main point here is that a hypothetical draft pick of Dart is the way to go as long as a renowned vet is present in the Giants’ QB room. Of course, mentorship doesn’t 100% guarantee that one will live up to expectations, but it’s helped many who are performing — and have performed through the years — at a high level.
There’s no doubt Brian Daboll will run an offense that’s suited to Jaxson Dart’s playstyle
Additionally, Brian Daboll’s rep as a QB guru will help in the development of a young prospect such as Dart. The head coach’s offense can be described as “player-centric”, meaning that it’s usually tailored to the strengths of his personnel, especially his QB. Back when he was with the Buffalo Bills, Daboll ran a multi-dimensional spread offense, incorporating a mix of passing and run plays to maximize Josh Allen’s all-around versatility. With the Giants, the playbook was adjusted to fit Daniel Jones’ style, utilizing Jones’ ability to carry the ball albeit a more conservative and simplified pass attack.
It also helps that Daboll loves exploiting mismatches and finding the weaknesses of opposing defenses. Calling plays that target the weakest link at every snap will do wonders for a QB like Dart, who, as mentioned earlier, thrives the most when throwing to his initial read. In relation, Daboll’s inclination toward pre-snap motion, play action, mesh routes, and other concepts that confuse defenders will also be helpful in freeing up passing lanes for Dart.
To put it simply, if the Giants draft Jaxson Dart, best believe that Brian Daboll — and a veteran mentor, hopefully — will do their best to develop the youngster optimally.
The post Why Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart is perfect fit for Giants in NFL Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.
