MOBILE, Ala. — He grew up in Utah, spent one year in Los Angeles at USC and for the past three years has been hunkered down in Oxford, Miss.
Imagine if Jaxson Dart finds his way into the NFL as a Giants draft pick and embarks on his professional career in the league’s biggest media market?
Is he in any way, shape or form a New York kind of guy?
“Am I? I’m not scared of the big city,’’ Dart said, responding to a question from The Post. “Not at all. I love New York, visited there a lot growing up. Honestly that’s not even in the back of my mind. I think it’s a great organization. I’d love to play for ’em.’’
The Giants, with the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft, would almost definitely take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders if one of them is available, but that is too high to go for Dart, unless their evaluation of him varies greatly from the groupthink at this stage of the process.
Is this a possibility?
Sure it is, but it would take some creative maneuvering from the Giants, ᴀssuming they view him as a potential franchise quarterback.
If the Giants do not take a quarterback in the first round, they could go in that direction in the second round, with the 34th overall pick.
Would Dart be on the board?
He should be, based on most draft grades, but NFL teams often cannot resist over-drafting quarterbacks, and it only takes one team to fall in love with one of them.
Trading up a few spots to get Dart with one of the final picks in the first round would not be a bad strategy, as that would put the fifth-year option in play for Dart.
It is a big advantage if a team can have its starting quarterback under contractual control for five seasons.
In the past 10 drafts, 35 quarterbacks went in the first round, only six in the second round and more than double that — 13 — in the third round. The second round is not where it’s at for quarterbacks.
Is Dart worth all this speculation?
He probably will turn out to be the No. 3 quarterback on the Giants draft board.
Getting a player expected to make an immediate impact on defense — edge rusher Abdul Carter or cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter — at No. 3 and then taking Dart could be a strong roster-building strategy for the Giants to investigate.
There already is sentiment to make the Giants-Dart connection.
Eli Manning closely follows the football program at his alma mater, and thus kept close tabs on Dart at Ole Miss.
Last week, Manning offered something of an endorsement when he said “I like Jaxson Dart, I’ve probably watched him more than anybody, just from watching Ole Miss games. I’ve been around him and [he’s] been a great kid, been in the same offense for three years and been successful. Seen him grow and progress and seems to be able to make all the throws.’’
It goes much deeper than that.
When Dart arrived at Ole Miss he was immediately embraced by the Manning family, particularly the father, Archie, who, like Eli, was a legend on campus.
Before most games, Archie would send off a text wishing Dart well.
Of course, Dart attended the Manning Pᴀssing Academy and hung out with Archie, Eli and Peyton.
“They were one of the first families to reach out to me, and it’s been special how our bond and connection has been able to grow throughout my time there,’’ Dart said. “They’ve been a huge ᴀsset for me and I look forward to continuing to build that relationship with them.
“I would say the closest I’ve got was with Archie. Eli has been great with me as well. They reach out to me consistently throughout the season, it’s really every week. They just know so much. They have so much experience, so much wisdom. I’ve been blessed to kind of be under their wing.’’
Dart did not have to be reminded that the Giants still need to find a franchise quarterback to replace Eli Manning, as Daniel Jones ultimately did not cut it in his six-year window.
“Yessir, it would be a smooth transition,’’ Dart said, smiling. “Smooth transition.’’
Would it be?
The Giants will sign a veteran quarterback in free agency — either before or perhaps they will wait until after the draft — and that bridge player might have to open the season as the starter, with the expectation that a highly drafted rookie will take over when he is deemed ready to roll.
Dart turns 22 in May, and has 41 college starts on his résumé, with 81 touchdown pᴀsses and 27 interceptions operating the Rebels’ spread offense.
Dart had 29 touchdown pᴀsses and six interceptions in 2024, as Ole Miss went 10-3, but it was unbalanced production.
He threw 20 touchdown pᴀsses and only one interception against Furman, Middle Tennessee State, Georgia Southern, Arkansas and Duke.
Facing South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia and Florida, Dart had five touchdown pᴀsses and four interceptions.
This jibes with the analysis of David Syvertsen, the top college football analyst for Ourlads Scouting Service, who lauded Dart’s “great arm’’ and ability to keep his cool despite pᴀss-rush pressure.
Facing top-level compeтιтion? Not so much.
“In high-leverage situations, Florida, LSU, Dart really was poor,’’ Syvertsen told The Post. “It seems like he gets a little too nervous, a little too jumpy.’’
Dart flashed his big arm during practices this week, but he had a few fumbles working with unfamiliar centers — some of them converted guards — as he showed some rough edges taking the snap at the line of scrimmage.
He operated out of the sH๏τgun 934 times in 943 snaps the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I played Wing-T for three years of high school, so I was under the center for a lot of my career growing up,’’ Dart said.
Mostly, he was calm, cool, collected and personable with the media during his stay at the Senior Bowl. He would not get into a discussion as to where he thinks he fits in with the other quarterbacks in this draft. He said he will keep that between himself and the NFL teams he speaks with down here.
“But I appreciate the question, though,’’ he said, and smiled again.
