Jaxson Dart drops a dime for first NFL preseason TD pass
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Jaxson Dart is hoping that his NFL career has the same success as that of another Ole Miss great who suited up for the New York Giants.
Twenty-one years after Eli Manning was taken first overall by the then-San Diego Chargers and subsequently traded to the Giants, Dart — New York’s 25th-overall pick in 2025 — stepped onto the field for the first time during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
A few minutes into the second quarter, he had his first touchdown pass as a Giant, firing a strike into the hands of Lil’Jordan Humphrey to give New York a 10-0 lead.
Here’s the video:
After starting his career at USC, Dart transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2022 season, throwing for 10,617 yards and 72 touchdowns while running for 1,498 yards and 12 TDs on 371 attempts as a member of the Rebels.
His 10,617 yards broke Manning’s program record that had stood since 2003, while his school-record 4,279 passing yards in 2024 surpassed Chad Kelly’s total of 4,042 set in 2015. His 72 touchdowns are second to Manning’s 82 for the most in Ole Miss history, while he is tied with Manning and Matt Corral for the most in a single game (6).
Dart had a sharp first half, going 12-for-19 with 154 yards and a score while taking 3 carries for 24 yards.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
