NFL analyst drops the hammer on Giants QB Jaxson Dart, but there’s far more context than the criticism suggests
Dart went through some natural challenges as a rookie, but circumstances matter for the evaluation of his individual performance.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak delivered a pointed critique of New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart in an article about second-year quarterbacks, questioning Dart’s mechanics and consistency as he enters the 2026 season under new head coach John Harbaugh. Dart, the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, started 12 games as a rookie and posted a reasonable first season for a rebuilding franchise. But Solak’s assessment paints a picture of a quarterback whose process remains unrefined.
“Dart is an extremely frustrating watch. He has very little consistency to his process as a thrower and a pocket manager. His feet are frequently disconnected from the ground, which affects the timing of his throws and delays his reaction to pressure. His lower-body mechanics change willy-nilly, and he often looks like a kid alone on a basketball court attempting pretend buzzer-beaters, lurching to launch from odd angles for no apparent reason.” — Ben Solak
What the advanced metrics say
Dart finished 13th in adjusted EPA per play last season, a metric that speaks to overall offensive efficiency and productivity. In success rate, a down-by-down metric that better captures consistency, he ranked 17th. The difference between those two rankings confirms the Giants offense with Dart was slightly more efficient than it was consistent. That said, the gap is modest. The difference between slightly above average and slightly below average.
Where the inconsistency becomes more visible is completion percentage over expectation (CPOE). Dart ranked 23rd in that category, falling behind some quarterbacks who aren’t considered elite passers: Fellow rookie Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett, and New York Jets’ Geno Smith all finished ahead of Dart in CPOE.
That context matters, but it also requires perspective. Patrick Mahomes ranked 21st in the same metric last season, C.J. Stroud was 20th, Justin Herbert was 17th. Even Matthew Stafford, the league’s MVP, was 16th. The variables within CPOE make it a metric worth considering but not one that should define a quarterback’s long-term trajectory on its own.
“I’m confident there’s a quality starting QB somewhere in Dart’s game, but it’ll take quite a bit of development to get him there,” Solak added.
Context and development path
Solak’s critique is fair to a certain extent, but it also needs to be weighed against the circumstances Dart faced as a rookie. The talent around him was limited, the offensive line dealt with injuries throughout the season, and the coaching staff was fired after the year ended.
The expectation now is that Dart can take a step forward under a more experienced coaching infrastructure. Harbaugh, new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, and quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan bring a level of stability and development expertise that the previous staff lacked. That alone should help Dart clean up some of the mechanical issues Solak identified.
It’s also natural for a quarterback who relies on mobility and athleticism the way Dart does to generate some volatility in his game. That playing style raises his floor because he can extend plays and manufacture offense outside of structure. If Dart can maintain last year’s production while developing greater consistency in his mechanics and decision-making, he’ll be a quarterback worth building around in New York.
