After several weeks of lackluster play, Jaxson Dart silenced some doubters with a performance reminiscent of his first few NFL starts.
The Ole Miss rookie completed 22 of 30 pass attempts for 207 yards, while also running the football six times for 50 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 34-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
In what was humorously coined the 2025 season’s “Tank Bowl,” thanks to the number of key players ruled out by both the New York Giants and the Raiders, New York effectively took themselves out of contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Giants didn’t necessarily need the pick (who will likely be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza) as they seem to have the quarterback position figured out with Dart.
But according to a report from NFL Network, New York would have considered all options had they ended up picking first overall.
Giants to Evaluate All Options… Including Fernando Mendoza?
On Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that the New York Giants would be evaluating all options if they were to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That would include replacing Dart with Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
“Meanwhile, there also is a chance that the Giants lose, which means the Giants could have the number one overall pick. Expect them to evaluate all options, including looking at Fernando Mendoza before they make a decision on how they’re going to proceed if they have this pick,” said Rapoport.
Would the Giants really move on from their first-round quarterback after just one season and only 12 starts?
Well, now it’s a moot point, thanks to Big Blue’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, but it’s still fairly shocking that it’s even a conversation at this point.
Dart had been somewhat disappointing since returning from his midseason concussion, but considering his banged-up supporting cast and makeshift coaching staff, it’s understandable he would face some bumps in the road.
But to decide to move on from him so quickly seems like a mistake.
Connor Hughes Says This Wasn’t a Discussion in November
The report shocked many New York Giants fans, and it even took the reporters who cover the team by surprise.
SNY’s Connor Hughes was certainly caught off guard, noting that the New York Giants’ confidence in Dart was unshakable before his injury.
“That’s significant. Moving on from Dart not even a two-second discussion before he went down in Chicago. You only entertain Fernando Mendoza if you have concerns Jaxson Dart is a franchise QB.” Hughes wrote in a post on X.
“You don’t have those concerns if not for his regression post-Brian Daboll’s firing, which also ties to the change in the way the Giants are using him. Disaster situation unfolding to close 2025.”
When Dart came back from his injury, the Giants tried to protect him by limiting his rushing attempts and calling fewer quarterback runs.
Before today, the rookie had only carried the ball 15 times for 90 yards in New York’s previous three games.
Dart is obviously at his best when he’s able to utilize his impressive athletic ability, and if the Giants want him to continue to develop into the franchise quarterback they thought he could be before his concussion, they have to keep letting him play like himself.
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