New York Giants GM says organization was behind selecting Jaxson Dart

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen is on thin ice as the 2025 NFL season approaches. His now-infamous decision to let running back Saquon Barkley depart for the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, opting instead to bet on Daniel Jones handing off to Devin Singletary as a winning formula, has both him and head coach Brian Daboll entering a prove-it year with Big Blue.

Whenever a general manager and head coach are on seats as hot as Schoen and Daboll's, selecting a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft can be viewed as a self-preserving strategy. In some ways, organizations are forced to give the decision-making pair an extra season to develop the prized first-rounder.

And while the Giants' decision to select former Ole Miss star Jaxson Dart in Round 1 has in some circles been viewed in that light, Schoen confirmed during a recent appearance on the Up and Adams show that that wasn't the case. Instead, it was an organizational decision.

"It was an organizational decision,” Schoen said. “Any player that we take, it’s a collaborative process and it’s very detailed, and we believe in it. Jaxson’s a guy that was on the radar throughout the fall. We’re able to see play live, spent a lot of time with him at the Senior Bowl as well. It helps when the head coach has an offensive background and has a history with developing quarterbacks.”

There's no doubt Giants owner John Mara had a voice in the draft room when the decision to trade back into the first round for Dart came up. Mara became one of the main characters of the team's Hard Knocks appearance, especially after he all but begged Schoen to make sure Barkley didn't end up an Eagle.

If Mara signed off, it's a good sign for Schoen and Daboll's futures.

The New York Giants' plan for Jaxson Dart seems pretty straightforward: he'll get a redshirt year in 2025 and learn behind veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

But anyone who's been around the NFL long enough knows that the best rookie quarterback plans get tossed out the window when a losing streak ensues. The Giants have the league's toughest schedule in 2025; you can bet a losing streak is coming. And when it does, Dart's number could get called much sooner than expected.

If Dart delivers, Schoen and Daboll will get a new lease on their New York Giants football lives. If he fails? We all know how this story will end.

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