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Jaxson Dart Comes Home: Rebel star holds Oxford football camp after first months with Giants

Ben Garrettby: Ben Garrett07/12/25SpiritBen
MLB: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
Jun 6, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Giants first round draft pick quarterback Jaxson Dart on the field before a game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Now-former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart returned to Oxford this week for his football camp at Oxford High School. 

Dart is coming off Organized Team Activities with the New York Giants. The Giants in the spring made Dart the first Rebel quarterback since Eli Manning in 2004 taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. They landed him at No. 25 overall.

Manning went to the Giants, too, and Dart could follow a similar path to replacing a veteran in his first year. Manning pushed out Kurt Warner. Dart is contending with veterans Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito. Only Dart has signed a long-term contract (four years, $17 million).

“This is the best decision that I made to come here from a coaching standpoint and being able to be developed,” Dart told local reporters at the scene, including Sam Hutchens of the Clarion-Ledger. “My coaches in the NFL definitely praise my development and being able to understand schemes and whatnot from playing in this offense and playing with the coaching staff that I did.”

RELATED: Schefter: Giants like Wilson plan, but Dart could force their hand

Dart was a three-year starter and set records at Ole Miss.

He left Oxford as the program’s all-time leader in wins (28). He led Ole Miss to back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since the 60s. The Rebels have won 10 or more games in three of the last four years under head coach Lane Kiffin.

Dart is one of just four players in SEC history with 12,000 total career yards. He shattered the Ole Miss single-season records for passing and total offense — both previously held by Manning — and also broke his own school marks for single-bowl passing yards and total offense.

“It was a special place for me,” Dart said of Ole Miss. “This is the place that I want to continue to come back. I’m buying a house here. I love it here. It’s like a second home for me. 

“I told my mom on the plane flight [Wednesday] night how excited I was just to come back to Oxford and be here. So many faces that I’ve seen and met before. It’s definitely special to see everybody and continue to make relationships.”

RELATED: Jeremy Fowler: Jaxson Dart ‘established himself in two areas’ in first months with Giants

Dart was a first-team All-SEC selection last season after throwing for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns.

He led the Rebels to their third 10-win season in four years. The Giants open the 2025 season in September with back-to-back road games at Washington and Dallas.

“I feel like I’ve made tremendous strides, especially my first day to now, just being able to understand the pictures of the offense and whatnot,” Dart said of his work in OTAs. “Obviously I’ve got to dive into it a lot more. But I’m definitely trying to take it to the next level this summer. Really just lock in and hone in on as much as I can throughout this time so when I get back for training camp I’m on an even better level than I am now.”

“He’s done excellent picking up information,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “It’s really good to have Russ and Jameis. All the adjustments that take place with the calls, he’s fit right in with those guys. He’s smart [and] aggressive with the football, which I like. The true test will be once we start with live hitting and preseason games. But he’s progressed since he’s been here to where he’s made good improvement.”

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