Everyone knows Brian Daboll’s approval is as rare as the Giants’ red-zone touchdown last season. “He did what he was supposed to do… was prepared. He put a lot of time and effort into it,” said Daboll on Jaxson Dart. And now the rookie is already changing the course of events in New York after just one minicamp. It’s no coincidence that Daboll’s measured yet calm praise feels more impactful than his previous play sheet. The Giants’ head coach, who previously grabbed Mike Kafka’s play-calling responsibilities like a man grasping the wheel during a freeway skid, seems to be letting go of control once more.
The rookie camp was called by Kafka. And he has a history of transforming the raw into the refined. During the rookie season of Patrick Mahomes, when Mahomes primarily used a clipboard and learnt in the background, he was in Kansas City.
Dart’s NFL path is currently being shaped by Kafka’s voice, which GM Joe Schoen claims helped close the deal. When Kay Adams asked GM Joe Schoen on the Up & Adams Show if Jaxson Dart was Daboll’s pick. “No. It was an organizational decision. Any player that we take, it’s a collaborative process. It helps when the head coach has an offensive background and a history with developing quarterbacks. And then you throw in Mike Kafka, who was there for Patrick Mahomes’ rookie year… when they’re convicted on a player, you typically have the best chance for success,” said Schoen. There was a strong organisational conviction. OC Kafka. QB coach Shea Tierney. Daboll himself. Three quarterback-whisperers with a combined background that includes Josh Allen and Mahomes. Dart impressed them with his toughness, judgment, and SEC-proven arm, which gave him a slight advantage in navigating the media maze of New York.
When did Giants GM Joe Schoen know Jaxson Dart was their guy?@heykayadams | @Giants pic.twitter.com/cSa61hvlUS
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 15, 2025
“The Monday before the draft, we had a final meeting,” Schoen recalled the last week of the draft. Narrowed voices, final ranks, and strategic dreams filled the war room. The Giants planned how to slip back into the first round to get Dart, since Abdul Carter was predicted to drop to No. 3. In exchange for choice No. 25, they sent Houston their second-round pick (No. 34), a third-round pick (No. 99), and a future third. In an instant, they had their future quarterback. Schoen exclaimed, “We’re fired up to have Jaxson Dart as part of the organization.”
Dart has a long list of accomplishments, from being a high school sensation in Utah to becoming an SEC standout at Ole Miss. Last season, he dropped 4,279 yards, set school records at Oxford, and had just enough dual-threat ability to cause defenses to pause. “Tough, makes good decisions, athletic, played in a tough conference,” Daboll stated, outlining the qualities that any quarterback in New York should possess. “As a competitor, you want to play on the biggest stages,” Dart said. “I feel like I’m built for it.”
Jaxson Dart’s got the spotlight, but Joe Schoen’s eyes are on Abdul Carter
Following the Titans’ acquisition of Cam Ward and the Browns’ subsequent trade, Abdul Carter, who had previously been Micah Parsons’ apprentice, fell into the Giants’ lap. For Schoen, who attempted and failed to move up for a top quarterback last year before settling for Malik Nabers at No. 6, it was déjà vu. But he may have unintentionally acquired another franchise cornerstone with Carter. Schoen told Kay Adams, “You hear about [his work ethic]… but when you take a guy where we took Abdul at number three and you see a guy that’s doing all the right things… that’s what’s most impressive.”
The rookie lifts. Constantly works early in the morning. Carter is displaying more than just his presence. Last season, Carter led the nation in sacks (12) and tackles for loss (23.5), frightening every Big Ten left tackle. During his 42 games at Penn State, he recorded 23 sacks, which was sixth in program history. Not bad for a guy who almost achieved his goal of being selected first overall. The front seven of the Giants was already tough. Now add Carter? That front turns into a wrecking ball that will serve as the NFC East’s theme song.
Carter expressed his desire to be the first pick to Parsons before the 2024 season. He was taken under Parsons’ wing. The outcome? It was a college finale that was perhaps even louder than what Parsons used to do. Schoen remarked, “He’s constantly working… It’s clear he loves football.” The Giants decided to invest No. 3 on him because of his substance as well as his stats. Foundational elements were what Schoen desired. He might have discovered them in Carter. And New York might finally have its next great core with Dart in the wings. Sounds like a plan. Now all they need is wins.
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