Jaxson Dart leans on $160,000,000 worth Giants legend’s quiet guidance as “huge asset” in his NFL footing

Fans of the New York Giants are hoping that the team's long quest for its next franchise quarterback has come to an end with the selection of quarterback Jaxson Dart. The former Ole Miss quarterback was selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft in April.

Given that Dart played collegiate football at the same program as the Giants' legendary former quarterback, Eli Manning, it will be intriguing to watch how his career develops. During his remarkable NFL career, Manning helped the Giants to two Super Bowl triumphs, both against quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Manning, who has a net worth of $160 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth), congratulated Dart after he was selected last month and has since taken on a mentorship role. During last week's NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, Dart spoke with Sports Illustrated about how much he valued his bond with Eli Manning and how the legend's guidance is a "huge asset" for him.

"Eli has been a huge role model for me. Even before I got to Ole Miss, being able to watch him beat Tom Brady twice (in the Super Bowl) was incredible," Dart told SI. "Then I went to Ole Miss, and not only him, the whole Manning family was great to me.

"Specifically, Eli was just a great asset. We had a few different things that we ran together there, and then any time I had a question, I could reach out to him, and I knew he was going to be there for me.

"And then carrying that now with the Giants, he’s living right down the road and he’s been great making sure that I know I have him in my corner, and if I have questions that I can continue to ask. I think that’s a huge asset because we’ve built such a genuine connection and time."

Jaxson Dart had already built a connection with Manning during his college years, one he hopes will continue to grow as he gets set to begin his NFL career.

Will Jaxson Dart be a starter for the Giants in his rookie season?

Russell Wilson, who signed with the New York Giants this offseason, is currently anticipated to start at quarterback for the team in Week 1. Wilson will likely start the season with Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston as backups, but Dart is generally seen as the quarterback of the future for the Giants.

After his freshman year, Dart transferred from USC to Ole Miss, where he played collegiate football for three seasons before being selected by the Giants. His passing totals in 2024 amounted to 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also scored three touchdowns on the ground and had 495 rushing yards.

Jaxson Dart would benefit hugely from a smooth transition into the NFL, and having a year to learn behind veterans should be enormously helpful. The pressures of expectations are extremely high in the NFL, and Dart will experience it when his time as the starter comes. In the meantime, having veterans to lead and a mentor like Eli Manning in the background can only be a good thing.