The New York Giants topped the New York Jets 31-12 on Saturday, which technically puts them on a winning streak.
The Giants have looked much improved this preseason and hopes are rising for the regular season. Much of the excitement is being generated by the team’s two first-round picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart. Those two have been among the best of the 2025 rookie class and seem to have bright futures ahead of them.
But what about the rest of the Giants’ rookies? If the team is going to become consistently competitive, they’ll need this year’s class to hit as well as their 2024 class did. So let’s check in on how the newest Giants fared against the Jets.
Abdul Carter (Edge)
The third overall pick came into the night riding an incredible wave after logging three almost-sacks on six snaps against the Buffalo Bills in the preseason opener.
Carter wasn’t quite as dominant in the pass rush this game, though that’s partly due to the fact that Justin Fields only dropped back five times. However, we did get a look at Carter as an off-ball linebacker and in the run game … to mixed results.
We’ll start with the good, and that was how Carter was able to use his explosive athleticism to disrupt behind the line of scrimmage. He was in on multiple run stops early in the game, and looked good doing it. Run defense wasn’t a strength of Carter’s game coming out of college, and he’s definitely at his best when he can attack a gap and blow up the play in the backfield, or at least force the running back to redirect. That said, he did have a very good rep setting the edge against a pulling lineman which allowed a teammate to get the stop. Those reps were good to see, and while Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux are still the better run defenders, Carter has his place while he develops that part of his game.
Unfortunately, his night ended on an embarrassing note as he got flattened by a tight end and then run over by an offensive lineman. It was a “welcome to the NFL” moment for the rookie, and will hopefully be good teaching tape heading into the regular season.
Jaxson Dart (QB)
It was an encouraging sign that Dart got better every year of his college career at Ole Miss, and it seems like he’s getting better by the day as a Giant. Dart was the best of the rookie quarterbacks in the first week of the preseason, and he backed that up with another decisive and efficient performance against the Jets.
Dart currently ranks fifth in the NFL in Success Rate, fourth in completion percentage, fourth in yards per attempt, and third in EPA/play. Overall, he’s 26 of 35 for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns, with another 29 yards and a touchdown rushing. Not bad for a little under a game of work. He’s handling what he’s asked to do well, easily moving through his reads as well as showing great command of the ball. Dart has a strong arm, but he isn’t just a fastball thrower. He knows when to take velocity off and throw with timing, touch, and trajectory.
Him coming in for one play — simulating a sudden injury or equipment malfunction — and making it work was particularly impressive. Dart likely has a ways to go before he’s deemed “ready” but the early returns are definitely encouraging.
(No, there still isn’t a quarterback controversy, no matter how much some people want to will one into existence.)
Darius Alexander (iDL)
While Carter and Dart have gotten off to incredibly fast starts as rookies, Alexander is following a more familiar development path.
There have been flashes the upside that made him a third-round pick, and even drew some fringe first-round grades. He has an explosive first step, the size and power to stand up to double teams, and the length to win hand fights. But he’s also still in the process of putting it all together, and that shows up against veteran NFL linemen.
The most noticeable issue in Alexander’s game at the moment is not timing the snap properly. Too often he’s the last guy moving on either line, which gives blockers plenty of time to get into position. He gets hung up on them, spending too much time hand-fighting or is out-leveraged by a blocker who is already anchored against Alexander’s power. He seems to be thinking rather than playing right now. The good news is that he has one of the best recources in the NFL in Dexter Lawrence, and defensive line coach Andre Patterson has a proven track record of developing players.
Marcus Mbow (OT)
You can count me among the people who believed that Mbow was destined to be a guard and not a tackle at the NFL level. He’s proven that he belongs as an NFL offensive lineman and could be a real steal in the fifth round. He’s more than held his own at both left and right tackle, and has been part of the reason why the Giants’ pass protection simply hasn’t been an issue. The biggest problem with the Giants’ offensive line a year ago was depth, and now that seems to be a strength — thanks, in part, to Mbow. It would be an incredible boon if he develops into a starting lineman for the Giants.
As an aside, Cam Skattebo didn’t play due to the hamstring injury that’s kept him out of practice. But the fact that the Giants were genuinely torn between drafting him and Mbow at the top of the fourth round is encouraging. How well Mbow has played bodes well for Skattebo when he eventually returns.
Korie Black (CB)
Black was only credited with a pair of assisted tackles on the game. But it’s notable that he was the first cornerback off the bench once the Giants started substituting out the starters. The rookie took the field in place of veteran free agent Paulson Adebo, and got some time with the starters. The Giants have also seemed to be high on veteran Nic Jones, and its possible that both have passed Tre Hawkins III on the depth chart while Hawkins has been injured.
Black also got snaps with the starting special teams unit, which also helps his case to make the final roster.
Thomas Fidone II (TE)
Fidone didn’t have the same kind of highlight reel catches in this game that got people buzzing in the first game. He had an opportunity with both Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz sidelined for the game. However, he was only targeted once for a 3-yard reception.
UDFA tight end Jermaine Terry II had a more memorable catch, a 21-yard reception from Jameis Winston.
Fidone has upside, as evidenced by his extension and body control against the Bills. But he was fairly anonymous this game, which isn’t great for making the roster (though good if the team wants to stash him on the practice squad).
I’ll reserve judgment on both Fidone’s and Terry’s blocking until I can study the All-22 tape.
Dalen Cambre (WR)
Cambre continues to get reps with the Giants’ starters on both special teams and offense, which is impressive considering he had almost no receiving experience in college. The Giants clearly like the UDFA wideout, and his special teams upside could give him the inside track to the roster.
That said, plays like his over-the-shoulder sideline catch for 34 yards from Jameis Winston will make him incredibly hard to cut. Cambre was targeted three times against the Jets, catching two for 45 yards. I don’t know which scout surfaced him and convinced the team to give him a chance as a wide receiver (and not just a special teams ace), but that scout deserves a raise.
Beaux Collins (WR)
Collins was on the receiving end of the play of the game for the Giants. His 80-yard catch and run was the kind of emphatic statement play that we just haven’t seen from the Giants in entirely too long. He didn’t quite make it into the end zone and was run down from behind, but that doesn’t really matter.
(Though I’d like to see him turn his head less while running. That might have slowed him just enough at the end.)
But even be fore that catch, it was notable that Collins was even on the field with the starters as an undrafted free agent rookie. He was also in on special teams from the opening kickoff, which might be even more encouraging.
Juice Wells (WR)
Despite being the highest-profile UDFA the Giants brought in, Wells has been quiet throughout camp and the preseason. Personally, I was expecting more fireworks from Wells thanks to his experience playing with Dart at Ole Miss.
Wells finally showed up on the field against the Jets with 3 catches on 5 targets, the highlight of which was a good 11-yard catch and run which was set up Dart’s second touchdown of the night. Wells isn’t particularly big or fast, but he has good contact balance which give him YAC upside. He might not be able to crack the roster this year, but he has a real shot at the practice squad if he can build on this performance in the third preseason game.
Trace Ford (Edge)
Ford had an up-and-down game in the first week of the preseason. This week was much more “up”, with the highlight being a pressure which set up Makari Page’s interception. In fact, simply calling it a “pressure” doesn’t quite convey how thoroughly he dominated the tackle assigned to block him. He simply put the blocker on skates, bull rushing him right back into the quarterback.
The numbers game will likely keep Ford off the roster, but he and Tomon Fox are having a great battle for the practice squad.
Makari Paige (S)
Coming up with a great diving interception is a very good way to get the coaches’ attention as an undrafted free agent. We don’t know how many safeties the Giants will carry on the final 53-man roster, but it’s notable that their NASCAR package features three safeties and three corners on the field. If they’re committing to playing DIME packages, they won’t want their entire depth chart on the field at the same time.
That could open the door for a player like Paige to crack the final roster, and highlight plays will definitely raise his profile.
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