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‘A lot of Eli in there’: Kiffin backs Dart to thrive with Giants

Ben Garrettby: Ben Garrett07/20/25SpiritBen
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Ole Miss great and New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart (Photo credit: New York Giants/Instagram)

Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants open training camp Wednesday, July 23. 

The record-setting Ole Miss quarterback seems to be pushing to start sooner rather than later. Dart equipped himself well in Organized Team Activities in the spring. 

The Giants in April 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.

“I think, conceptually, I’ve pretty much ran all the same concepts,” Dart said in an interview with Giants pre/postgame host John Schmeelk. “And I think that’s kind of universal throughout football. Obviously the lingo and maybe some reads will change up here to there, are a little bit different. What makes it much more complicated is obviously the players you’re playing against and the scheme you’re playing against. 

“Having to go against our guys day in and day out has been some really good work. For me, something that’s going to carry over is my aggressiveness [and] ability to push the ball down the field. At the same time, I take care of the ball. You can look at my numbers year after year. I don’t turn the ball over a lot and I keep it on our side. Really excited to implement this offense more and more into some of my play style and whatnot. I’m really excited for the season.”

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

Dart will try to follow a similar path to Manning in his first year in New York. 

Manning pushed out veteran 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).

“I think there’s a lot of Eli in there,” now-sixth-year Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin told Schmeelk. “But then he has his dad in him, the defensive personality in him where it takes over a little bit and he gets a little aggressive. 

“But most time throughout the week and stuff he’s very calm. There was a lot of scrambling early on, the first year, and then he really started to keep his eyes downfield and create plays alive. Stay behind the line of scrimmage and create big plays, which he did a lot, including in the last bowl game.”

Dart was a three-year starter 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 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.

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

The Giants open the 2025 season in September with back-to-back road games at Washington and Dallas.

“He’ll be great,” Kiffin said of Dart handling New York. “He tests really well. We have different tests that really tell you that — judgement index tests. He’s elite.”

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