New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Count former NFL quarterback turned analyst Robert Griffin III as being very impressed with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart's preseason.
Griffin, once a "Rookie of the Year" recipient, summed up his thoughts about Dart as being " for the Giants.
Dart's debut in the preseason produced 12/19 154 passing yards and a touchdown. Pretty solid numbers for his first official snaps as a quarterback in the NFL, but nothing that would immediately raise any eyebrows around the NFL.
In Week 2, Dart drew even more rave reviews as he finished 14-for-16 for 137 passing yards and a touchdown, while also getting a rushing touchdown, an 87.5 percent completion rate.
In just two games, Dart has demonstrated a level of precision and poise that most rookies only achieve after some serious time in the league. According to PFF, Dart leads the Giants quarterbacks with a 63.6% accuracy rating, and is ranked fourth among quarterbacks with a minimum of 25 drop-backs with a 74.3% completion rate.
What makes Dart's preseason so impressive is not just his efficiency with the numbers, but how he has taken control of this offense, even though he is not the starter, by showing a sense of reading the pressure, moving the pocket, and simply making wise decisions.
The Giants have long struggled to find consistency at quarterback ever since Eli Manning retired after the 2019 season. After nearly six seasons trying to make things work with Daniel Jones, their search for their long-time franchise quarterback might be over.
Of course, it's only two games of preseason action, but the history books are littered with quarterbacks when the lights went on for real.
Still, it is nice to note that Dart's mechanics and decision-making have already earned praise from a former signal caller who had some success in the league. And while Dart still has plenty of things to work on, there's little doubt that he's ont he right track.
The Giants took a chance reaching back into the first round, making a trade to get Dart, and the early returns suggest it could pay dividends for seasons to come, even though the rookie is not expected to play regualr-season snaps of substance in the coming NFL campaign.