What the Giants Rookie Quarterback Still Needs to Learn
Jaxson Dart’s dynamic rushing ability served him well in college, but one glaring area still needs refinement: learning to slide or get out of bounds rather than taking big hits. At Ole Miss, Dart’s willingness to fight for extra yardage was an asset, partly thanks to the slower pace of the college game. He racked up impressive rushing numbers, including 128 attempts for 614 yards in 2022, 119 attempts for 389 yards in 2023, and 124 attempts for 495 yards in 2024. Over his college career, he totaled 1,541 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns across 45 games.
That production made him a dangerous dual threat, but the NFL demands smarter decisions. Dart must learn to slide or step out instead of absorbing unnecessary hits or risk injuries and turnovers. The speed and physicality of professional defenses will punish the reckless instincts that worked in college. The Giants already got a taste of the risk. In their final preseason game, Dart had a clear opportunity to slide before taking a punishing shot that knocked him out of the game and briefly placed him in concussion protocol.
Though he passed and avoided serious injury, the moment was a wake-up call. Head coach Brian Daboll quickly reminded his rookie quarterback that survival in the NFL often means knowing when to live for the next play. Other young quarterbacks have learned this lesson the hard way. Joe Burrow, as a rookie in 2020, took numerous high-impact hits before ultimately tearing his ACL midway through the season. Burrow’s talent was never in doubt, but his early-career struggles underscored the danger of fighting for every yard in a league where defenders are faster, stronger, and more punishing than anything seen on Saturdays. Dart’s ability to scramble and extend plays is part of what made him a first-round pick. Yet, with over 1,500 career rushing yards already on his résumé, he must balance that aggressiveness with self-preservation. If he prioritizes his long-term health and learns to slide when the situation calls for it, the Giants could have the durable, dual-threat quarterback they drafted him to be.
