The New York Giants selected quarterback Jaxson Dart in the first round with the goal of developing him into their long-term starter.
They clearly believe Dart possesses the physical tools and potential to become a high-level player. However, helping him adapt to the NFL—particularly in terms of pre-snap reads and post-snap decision-making—will take time. Fortunately, he’ll have a smoother development path thanks to veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston being ahead of him on the depth chart.
Wilson is set to start Week 1, giving Dart a valuable chance to grow in a quarterback room full of experience, guided by head coach Brian Daboll, who was brought in to nurture quarterback talent.
One key focus will be improving Dart’s mechanics, which can be inconsistent, though he does show occasional polish. A recent clip from rookie camp caused some concern among fans after it showed Dart flipping the ball in his hands during his dropback.
However, there’s no need for alarm—this isn’t a red flag.
Dart occasionally did this at Ole Miss, but it was infrequent and never led to serious issues. It seems to be a comfort habit—if he finishes the motion with a solid grip and can throw with confidence, it’s fine. He’s not doing it under pressure or in poor weather conditions like those in East Rutherford.
This is more of a rare mechanical quirk than a problematic habit. Dart had just 14 fumbles during his college career, which is not concerning. While his sack rate was higher outside of play action, his pocket awareness wasn’t nearly as worrisome as Daniel Jones’.
Jones had a tendency to pat the ball—a habit arguably more troubling than Dart’s flip.
Ultimately, what matters more is Dart’s ability to function within structure, execute a pro-style offense, and prove his raw tools can translate to the NFL level. The ball flip is a minor detail unlikely to affect his performance in real games.