The NFL draft is always full of what-ifs.
Ahead of Sunday's visit to New Orleans, Giants rookie Jaxson Dart was asked to reminisce about the possibility that the Saints could have taken him in the first round before the Giants ultimately traded back into pick No. 25 to snag him.
"There is always a chip on your shoulder any time something like that happens," Dart said of the Saints passing, via ESPN. "But yeah, I'm just going to go out there and play as hard as I can."
The Saints selected offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9 overall despite a need at quarterback. In reality, 24 teams passed on Dart, including his own Giants team, who took Abdul Carter No. 3 overall. Unlike the Saints, however, Big Blue traded back into the end of the first round to take the Ole Miss product.
The Saints selected Tyler Shough with the No. 40 overall pick. 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler has started for Kellen Moore's 0-4 club to open the season.
"Yeah, I felt like my visit with them went good," Dart said. "You kind of have thoughts in your head about what options are realistic, and I felt that was a place that could've panned out. But things didn't work out that way."
Dart took over for Russell Wilson in Week 4 and led Big Blue to an impressive victory over the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers. Week 5 brings his first road game as an NFL starter.
"I love it here. There's not a place that I'd rather be," he said. "I love just how passionate people are outside the facility, in the facility. I like the attitude the East Coasters have. It's a lot of fun. So I love it."
Dart can join Daniel Jones (2019) and Phil Simms (1979) as Super Bowl era Giants rookie QBs to win each of their first two starts, per NFL Research. In 2019, New York started 0-2, then won each of Jones' first two starts in Weeks 3 and 4. In 1979, NYG started 0-5, then won each of Simms' first four starts in Weeks 6-9.
Rookie starting QBs are 6-1 in the last 10 seasons versus winless teams in Week 5 or later. C.J. Stroud lost the most recent such game (Week 8, 2023, at Carolina).
