The underlying numbers contribute to a complex narrative about Jaxson Dart’s development, one where the New York Giants’ quarterback has issues with accuracy and decision-making, but may already possess the clutch gene coveted by so many operating at football’s most important position.
Dart’s name appears third on a list from Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis detailing the “best accuracy on passes thrown into the end zone in 2025.”
1. Joe Burrow 2. Joe Flacco 3. Aaron Rodgers 3. Jaxson Dart 5. Jordan Love 6. Daniel Jones 7. Lamar Jackson 8. Tua Tagovailoa 9. Trevor Lawrence 10. Drake Maye 11. Brock Purdy 12. Bryce Young 13. Sam Darnold 14. Patrick
Some of the entrants on this list might benefit from having thrown fewer passes in scoring areas, but Dart keeping this kind of company is still positive for the Giants. It’s a sign the first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft does his best work in the area of the field that matters most.
That’s a core skill a new coaching staff can marry with improved mechanics and the ability to make quicker reads. Two traits Dart is already learning from a QB whisperer among new head coach John Harbaugh’s assistants.
This education is crucial for the next phase of Dart’s maturation into a more well-rounded pro quarterback. Until he reaches that status, Dart’s efficiency near the goal-line can mask a lot of faults.
Especially since there are good reasons to believe Dart will be even better in the red zone in Year 2.
Jaxson Dart Can Go From Strength to Strength Where It Matters Most
Dart delivering his best throws at the business end of the field last season was doubly impressive. Not only because of the inexperience of a rookie who only assumed the starting reins in Week 4, but also because of the lack of dynamic playmakers among Dart’s targets in 2025.
An already worryingly top-heavy supporting cast was depleted when go-to wide receiver Malik Nabers tore his ACL during Dart’s maiden start. It left the first-year signal-caller leaning on also-rans in the passing game, but Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen have surrounded their QB1 with better targets this offseason.
Chief among them is Harbaugh favorite, former Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. He’s a wideout trapped in a tight end’s body, a size and speed matchup problem who can manipulate coverage from multiple spots across a formation.
Likely’s ability to make plays in the red zone, like this catch in traffic against the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2023, will make the 26-year-old somebody Dart looks for often in clutch situations.
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Dart can expect similar help from two veteran wide receivers, JuJu Smith-Schuster and the returning Odell Beckham Jr. Both join Likely as contested-catch merchants who can beat coverage on the inside and at the goal-line.
It’s a similar story for this year’s third-round pick, Malachi Fields. He’s a 6-foot-4, 222-pound receiver whose niche skills in both phases of the offense will be assets at the goal-line.
Finally, new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy ought to get 5-foot-11, 210-pound running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., a former wideout, more involved in the passing game from inside the 20.
Deploying a host of bigger receivers in more creative ways from scoring distance should see Dart become even more accurate where it counts. Matching that greater efficiency with improvements in other critical aspects of his game can give the Giants something truly scary at quarterback.
Giants Still Need to Fix Core QB Problems
Those other aspects involve getting Dart to shed a “guilty” pleasure that’s become a dangerous habit, both inside and outside the pass-pocket. The only way for Dart to ditch this troubling tendency is by making quicker reads and trusting his arm more than chancing his legs to beat defenses while exposing himself to extra hits.
Running too often and not trusting his field vision and footwork in the pocket last season contributed to a pair of “subpar” numbers the Giants can’t ignore moving forward. Smoothing out these rough edges is the priority for Nagy.
Teaching Dart better to protect himself and the ball inside 20s will naturally lead to more opportunities to target the portion of the field where he’s most accurate.
Key Stat Proves Giants QB Jaxson Dart Is Already Clutch