EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) 鈥� It took no time for Jaxson Dart to become one of the guys in ‘ quarterbacks room.
The from Mississippi is drawing rave reviews for his work on and off the football field 鈥� and his competitive approach and cool confidence have helped him easily get along with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito.
The four often have dinner together and hang out away from the facility. DeVito also dropped the news that practice videos aren’t all they watch together. He and Dart also occasionally tune into 鈥淟ove Island,鈥� the popular Peacock reality dating series.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say we do it every night, but from time to time if we get an off day,鈥� a smiling DeVito said Wednesday after the Giants wrapped up minicamp. 鈥淵eah, we watch it, we talk about it.鈥�
Not only that, the two have tossed around the idea of someday being contestants.
鈥淢e and Jaxson might go on 鈥楲ove Island,鈥欌�� DeVito said. 鈥淲e’ve talked about it. So, you really don’t know what’s about to happen.鈥�
That could also be said of the Giants’ quarterback situation as they head into training camp.
, but the spots behind him on the depth chart are up for grabs. And Dart will be given every chance to earn that No. 2 role.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e had this blueprint and they鈥檝e done it with different quarterbacks and you鈥檝e seen them succeed at the highest level, so I trust them,鈥� Dart said. “For me, I鈥檓 just trying to be the most coachable player that I can. I want to play well in the offense. I want to be able to manage it and operate it at the highest level. I know that they definitely do have a plan. I鈥檓 just trying to take it day by day and I鈥檓 not looking for results immediately.
鈥淚鈥檓 a process driven person, so I鈥檓 just taking it day by day, rep by rep.鈥�
Coach Brian Daboll and the Giants loved what they saw from Dart when they evaluated him before the draft. So much so that general manager Joe Schoen traded back into the first round to take the Utah native with the 25th overall pick.
Daboll has spoken about having a plan for Dart through the offseason and into training camp, and so far the rookie has done an 鈥渆xcellent鈥� job, according to the coach.
鈥淗e鈥檚 fit right in with those guys,鈥� Daboll said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 smart, he鈥檚 aggressive with the football, which I like. And then the true test will be once we start and there鈥檚 live hitting and preseason games and things like that. But he鈥檚 progressed since he鈥檚 been here to where he is now. He鈥檚 made good improvement.鈥�
Wilson has taken the majority of the snaps with the starters. But Dart has been in for a few plays with the starting offense, while primarily working with the second and third teams.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to get him in with the ones,鈥� Daboll said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 usually a level of anxiety at times for young players when they get thrown into the mix. It鈥檚 not exactly planned in terms of he鈥檚 getting rep (No.) 3. Sometimes we鈥檒l just say, 鈥楪et in there.鈥� Then he鈥檚 calling plays in front of veterans that have done it at a high level. I think that鈥檚 important.鈥�
Dart, who for yards passing at Ole Miss, said he was 鈥渟wimming鈥� a bit during his first few days in the NFL. But he has enjoyed having a lot of information thrown at him to see how much 鈥� and how quickly 鈥� he can absorb.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e made tremendous strides, especially from my first day to now, just being able to understand the pictures of the offense and whatnot,鈥� Dart said. 鈥淥bviously, I have to dive into a lot more, but I鈥檓 definitely just trying to take it to the next level over the summer. Really just lock in, hone in on as much as I can throughout this time, so that way when I get back for training camp, I鈥檓 on an even better level than I鈥檓 now.鈥�
And he can always turn to Wilson, Winston or DeVito 鈥� during commercial breaks, of course.
鈥淎ny time that I see them after practices sitting in the meeting room, I try to just sit down and listen,鈥� Dart said. “In the meeting rooms, trying to listen and then if I have questions on the field, I’ve got three great guys to talk to and ask for advice from. So, I鈥檓 constantly searching for that. I don鈥檛 have any pride about myself going over to ask questions and I know that I definitely don鈥檛 know everything.
鈥淪o I definitely want to pick those guys鈥� brains because they鈥檝e done it at the highest level and even won a Super Bowl.鈥�
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