Lane Kiffin Compares New York Giants Quarterback Jaxson Dart to Ole Miss Icon

Former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart remains in headlines ahead of his rookie season with the New York Giants.

Dart, who rewrote the record books during his time with the Rebels, helped transform the program under Lane Kiffin and Co. prior to being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The coveted signal-caller threw for over 4200 yards, 29 touchdowns and 6 interceptions during the 2024 season while leading Ole Miss to a 10-3 record, a win in the Gator Bowl, and a No. 11 AP Poll finish.

The Rebels also earned back-to-back 10+ win seasons for the first time since 1959-1960, and have a winning percentage of 74.36% dating back to 2022, Dart's first season in Oxford.

Now, he's adjusting well to life in the NFL while suiting up for the organization in the Big Apple.

“I think, conceptually, I’ve pretty much ran all the same concepts,” Dart said in an interview with Giants pre/postgame host John Schmeelk. “And I think that’s kind of universal throughout football.

"Obviously the lingo and maybe some reads will change up here to there, are a little bit different. What makes it much more complicated is obviously the players you’re playing against and the scheme you’re playing against.

“Having to go against our guys day in and day out has been some really good work. For me, something that’s going to carry over is my aggressiveness [and] ability to push the ball down the field. At the same time, I take care of the ball. You can look at my numbers year after year. I don’t turn the ball over a lot and I keep it on our side. Really excited to implement this offense more and more into some of my play style and whatnot. I’m really excited for the season.”

But Lane Kiffin has offered significant praise for his former signal-caller after comparing him to Ole Miss icon, Eli Manning.

“I think there’s a lot of Eli in there,” Kiffin said. “But then he has his dad in him, the defensive personality in him where it takes over a little bit and he gets a little aggressive.

“But most time throughout the week and stuff he’s very calm. There was a lot of scrambling early on, the first year, and then he really started to keep his eyes downfield and create plays alive. Stay behind the line of scrimmage and create big plays, which he did a lot, including in the last bowl game.”

On the latest @Giants Huddle Podcast I'm joined by @OleMissFB head coach @Lane_Kiffin to talk about @Giants first round pick @JaxsonDart.

🎙️Web/app: https://t.co/zkxLvitEJl
📲Subscribe to the pod: https://t.co/3jrxmgZkq5
📺Youtube: https://t.co/am5TmfTY5S pic.twitter.com/4prpdTDkRa
— John Schmeelk (@Schmeelk) July 16, 2025

Dart remains a rookie quarterback to watch in 2025 as he continues battling Russell Wilson for the starting role with the New York Giants this offseason.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.