Behind the Steel Curtain
Making proclamations after 12 quarters of play is certainly not wise. Three games simply aren’t enough to know whether or not a player will be good or bad. However, when you see certain traits translate to early success for a player, it’s easy to see that player becoming what he was drafted to be. Should the New York Giants help Jaxson Dart become that franchise quarterback they were hoping he’d be, they’ll look a lot smarter than many quarterback-needy teams who passed on him.
Dart is 2-1 as a starter, with both wins coming against upper-tier teams. The Los Angeles Chargers began the year 3-0 before Dart and Co. defeated them in Week 4. And after shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, the Giants defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 to kick off Week 6.
Dart’s numbers aren’t world-beating. He’s only averaging 169 passing yards per game and is 20th in adjusted EPA per play, per RBSDM Stats. However, he ranks 11th in success rate and has over 50 rushing yards in every game thus far with two rushing scores.
Along with Cam Skattebo, who the Steelers may also live to regret drafting, the rookies have made the Giants exciting and fun. And sure, Aaron Rodgers is having a very respectable year in his own right, but Pittsburgh could have had its cake and eaten it, too. They could have taken Dart and had him sit for a year behind Rodgers before giving him the reins in 2026.
Again, there is every chance in the world that Dart doesn’t end up being a star. If he does, though, there will be many a Steelers fan looking back and remembering that Dart was on the clock and Pittsburgh passed on him.
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