NFL Draft: Giants take Abdul Carter at No. 3 pick, trade up for Jaxson Dart at No. 25
Penn State's Abdul Carter, posin with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at left, and Mississippi's Jaxson Dart, are headed to the Giants after the opening round of the NFL Draft. Credit: AP
The Giants knew it would be difficult to leave the first round of the draft without a quarterback. They got one without sacrificing the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft.
After drafting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 3, the Giants made a late trade Thursday night to move up to No. 25 and take Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The trade with the Texans cost the Giants the 34th and 99th picks along with a 2026 third-round pick.
Yet the price, they hope, was worth it getting a quarterback they can groom for the future in Dart and also one of the draft’s top prospects in Carter.
“I like the way he plays,” Daboll said of Dart. “Like his competitive fire, accuracy, his ability to push the ball down the field, his athletic ability to run with the football. I know the system that they run down there at Ole Miss is similar to what we had at Alabama. I think this guy’s gotten better every year he played. He’s a leader, he’s smart. He has the attributes that we were looking for.”
Dart spent the last three seasons as Ole Miss’ starting quarterback and broke Eli Manning’s single-season passing record last season with 4,279 yards. He also leaves the school as the all-time passing yards leader with 10,617, breaking another Manning record.
The Utah-born Dart was regarded by some draft experts as the third-best quarterback in the draft behind Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Yet while Ward was selected first overall by the Titans, Sanders was not taken.
There were also reports that Daboll preferred Dart more than Sanders. His wish was granted and Dart being in New York will likely strengthen his already close bond with the Manning family.
“It’s wild to think about. They were such an amazing asset for me when I was at Ole Miss,” Dart said on a conference call with reporters Thursday night. “Obviously going down to the Manning Passing Academy and spending more time with them there. Archie just being consistent with texting me and he made sure to give me a good luck today.”
There’s also no pressure for Dart to start right away. Daboll made clear Thursday night to state that Russell Wilson will be the Giants’ starter during spring workouts. Wilson and Jameis Winston were both signed in free agency to serve as immediate help for a Giants team that played four quarterbacks last season.
It’s a different role than what Carter steps into. He will immediately join a group of strong pass rushers in Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Carter moved to defensive line last season after spending his first two at linebacker at Penn State. He became a unanimous All-American in his junior year and lead the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss, including 12.5 sacks.
Carter and Daboll had breakfast earlier this month when Daboll visited his daughter at Penn State. Carter ordered French toast, eggs and steak with a side of getting to know the man who’d be his future coach.
The meal preceded his official meeting where Carter showed love to a player he’s long admired. On X, Carter shared a picture of Lawrence Taylor from inside the team facility.
He revealed he’s often watched highlights of Taylor on YouTube despite Taylor’s last game coming in 1994, nine years before Carter was born.
“Just watching him, seeing his intensity, seeing the way he thinks,” Carter said on a conference call. “Just how dominant he was, how unstoppable he was, that’s what I aspire to be.”
The Giants won’t pick again until the 65th pick to open the third round. Yet they left the first round solving two key needs in adding pass rushing depth and a future quarterback.
General manager Joe Schoen added another boost by saying the team will pick up Thibodeaux’s fifth year option.
But the focus was squarely on the Giants’ new additions with Carter affirming Schoen’s point Thursday that a team can never have enough pass rushers.
Even though Daboll stressed Dart had a long process of development ahead, Dart was confident he will fit in with the team and his new city.
“No doubt,” Dart exclaimed. “I just feel like I got an edge to me and I feel like everybody in the city does as well so let’s get to it.”
ABDUL CARTER
Position: Edge rusher
Height/Weight: 6-3, 250
College: Penn State
Class: Junior
A unanimous First-Team All-American, Carter had 12.5 sacks last season among his nation-leading 23.5 tackles for loss. He’ll fit right in with the Giants’ trio of pass rushers in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence II.
JAXSON DART
Position: QB
Height/Weight: 6-2, 221
College: Mississippi
Class: Senior
Dart’s broke Eli Manning’s school records for single season and career passing yards in his three-year career. Now he’s following Manning’s footsteps to New York to be the Giants’ young quarterback of the future.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
