Jaxson Dart, Jayden Daniels Injuries Just Flipped Top of NFL Draft Board

Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season delivered some brutal injuries to promising young quarterbacks. The New York Giants lost sophomore Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a serious elbow injury that will sideline him for a significant amount of time.

Both of these injury-related setbacks could have a profound impact on the 2027 NFL Draft order. The Commanders are 0-2. The Giants are 1-1. Will these franchises remain competitive without their ascending quarterbacks, or will they eventually begin playing for draft positioning?

The 2027 NFL Draft is potentially loaded with quarterback prospects such as Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Trinidad Chambliss. Would the Giants or Commanders consider drafting one if they wound up with a top-five selection? How else may injuries to Dart and Daniels impact the draft?

Where do the New York Giants Go From Here With Jaxson Dart?

The Giants were all-in on Dart's development this offseason. That's partially why they paid John Harbaugh $100 million to lure him to East Rutherford. Internally, a serious conversation about Dart's availability must occur.

Dart played in one game as a sophomore before suffering a season-ending injury. The former Ole Miss quarterback made five visits to the medical tent in a ten-game span as a rookie. Health has been a recurring issue throughout his young career.

The Giants probably wouldn't draft another high-end quarterback prospect this quickly, but the conversation about his long-term outlook must be had if they find themselves picking in a top-10 spot. Perhaps a mid-round developmental quarterback will be the alternative solution. If the Giants struggle without Dart, perhaps they'll control the draft order by trading a pick to a QB-needy organization.

How do the Washington Commanders handle the Jayden Daniels injury?

The Commanders appear primed to endure a second straight disappointing campaign after reaching the NFC West Championship Game in 2024. If that happens, a serious injury to Daniels would have been the driving factor behind consecutive wasted seasons. That's a bitter pill to swallow for a team that believed Daniels would make them annual contenders after his breakout rookie year.

The Commanders roster a reliable backup in Marcus Mariota, but 0-2 is a difficult hole to dig yourself out of when you've just lost your star quarterback to injury. Given Daniels' historic rookie campaign, the Commanders feel even less likely to replace him via the NFL Draft than the Giants are with Dart. But again, scenarios will be discussed once their draft positioning is sorted.

If the Commanders end up in a position to draft Manning, Moore, Chambliss, CJ Carr or Darian Mensah, perhaps GM Adam Peters will trade the pick for a king's ransom. Continuing to build the team around Daniels is the solution. The offensive line has required more investments, and successfully doing so may help Daniels stay healthy.

Conclusion

We entered the 2026 season believing the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Arizona Cardinals would be top contenders for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. That still looks like the case, but the Commanders and Giants could join them if things go poorly post-QB injury.

We don't currently expect the Giants or Commanders to give serious thought to drafting replacements for Dart and Daniels, but it would be interesting to monitor the process if they finished in a position to select Manning or another QB prospect. Trading the selection would qualify as the likeliest outcome. Every team handles opportunities differently.

The Giants' Week 3 result versus the rebuilding Tennessee Titans could reveal their expectations. The Commanders are feeling the pressure at 0-2. Both franchises must assess all quarterback options moving forward.

Add us as a preferred source on Google