Report says the New Orleans Saints are also trying to move up for the Ole Miss QB
The common belief a few hours before Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft begins is that the New York are hoping to trade up into the latter portions of Round 1 for Jaxson Dart. The Giants, though, are not the only team eyeing a similar move for the Ole Miss QB.
Todd McShay of The Ringer reported in his newsletter Thursday morning that the Giants are “acutely aware” that the New Orleans Saints are trying to beat them to the punch to get Dart.
McShay said it is a “game of chicken” between the Giants and Saints to move for Dart. Who will offer the most to whatever potential trade partner or partners is willing to move down?
McShay writes:
I’ve been told Dart is high on the Saints’ list. In fact, based on calls I had yesterday, they like him more than I realized. Maybe not enough to take him with the ninth pick, but don’t be surprised if Saints GM Mickey Loomis tries trading back into the first round using a package of the 40th and 71st picks to move into the mid-20s.
Expect there to be competition, though. The Giants also like Dart, and on paper—New York has day-two picks at 34, 65, and 99, compared to New Orleans’s picks 40, 71, and 93—are better positioned to make a deal.
But Loomis is a renegade. If my intel is correct and Dart is who they want, people in the league know he’ll do what it takes to get that done. The Giants are acutely aware of that as well.
I don’t expect either of these teams to consider Dart in the top 10. The Giants shouldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter, and as I wrote in Mock 4.0, I think New Orleans would be wise to draft the top edge defender on their board to act as Cameron Jordan’s spiritual successor along the Saints’ defensive front seven.
In Lance Zierlein’s final mock draft on Thursday, he actually has the Saints besting the Giants in the Dart Sweepstakes.
Zierlein, an NFL.com draft analyst, has the Saints moving ahead of the Giants to No. 30 to select Dart in a swap with the Buffalo Bills.
Shedeur Sanders went No. 21 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Zierlein’s mock. That means that at No. 34 the Giants would be looking at Jalen Milroe, Tyler Shough and perhaps a potential shock pick like Kyle McCord if they want to grab a quarterback there.
