Giants receiver Zach Pascal shook his head after practice last week and smiled ear-to-ear.
He was reflecting on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart’s first training camp. And he was unable to contain his enthusiasm.
“I ain’t gonna lie: He’s talented. He’s talented as f–k,” Pascal, 30, the eighth-year veteran, said of Dart. “I’m blessed to be able to be in camp with him, but I’m pretty sure later in his future career, he’s gonna be one of them ones.”
“He’s gonna be one of them ones,” he repeated.
Pascal was the receiver who made the highlight-reel, one-handed stab of Dart’s back shoulder touchdown throw against the Jets during the Giants’ first joint practice in Florham Park.
The former Colt, Eagle and Cardinal said Dart’s energy and intangibles stand out as special, especially as a rookie.
“Dart has the swag you want to see in a QB that gives confidence to the whole offense,” Pascal said. “When you see him make a throw or get excited and make a run, he has that energy and excitement that trickles throughout the whole offense to make us believe in him.”
“It makes us believe in all the QBs, but he has that energy that will get guys going, and you don’t see that from a rookie quarterback all the time,” he added. “But he got that.”
Still, Dart’s vibes and energy wouldn’t mean anything if the quarterback couldn’t make plays. That’s why the former Ole Miss star is truly standing out.
His former Rebels teammate, wide receiver Juice Wells Jr., even sees a difference from Dart’s final college season.
“I’m so happy for Dart right now, just the way I’ve seen him grow from college ball to the NFL and the pros,” Wells, 24, said after juking Jets defenders for an 11-yard gain down to the 1-yard line to set up Dart’s first NFL rushing touchdown. “His decision-making just got so much better the way he thinks and carries himself.
“Dart is in the locker room for hours after practice putting in work. So I’m excited to see what else he has in store.”
Wells said Dart’s pre-snap reads on defense have gotten better even from just May to August, like his check at the line to Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills in the preseason opener.
“[It’s] him reading the defense,” Wells said. “Him making cover-0 checks, checks to alert the run a different way if see anything different with the safeties coming down or anything with a different coverage. He’s noticing all those things.
“At Ole Miss, sometimes you could see certain plays he shouldn’t have made that throw or whatever, but here it’s obvious it’s day and night,” he added. “This guy — shoutout to the coaches who are helping him out, Coach Kaf [offensive coordinator Mike Kafka] and all those guys. He’s a product of what you put in is what you get out. That guy’s in the building all the time, so it’s gonna pay off for him well this season. I’m so excited for him. I can’t wait.”
Dart’s on-target throw to Wells was a short completion that sprung a nice gain. But the rookie’s downfield work and manipulation of the defense in practice is what opened the veteran’s eyes.
“I’ve seen him make throws I haven’t even seen vets make,” Pascal said.
This goes back to the spring, not long after the Giants traded up to select Dart No. 25 overall in the NFL Draft’s first round.
The play call was a “sail” concept, “meaning you’ve got the go ball, the middle out and the flat. The three-level flood” on one side of the field, Pascal said.
And Dart duped a defender to press down to the flat to open up the middle out for a strike completion to Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
“He pumped the flat, buddy came down, and he hit the middle out on a rope to Ihmir,” Pascal said. “It was like he already planned like that’s how he was gonna set it up. It was an obvious throw to the flat. He pumped the flat and threw it over top, a dime to Ihmir. And I was like, ‘OK.’”
It’s not just that Dart made the play. It’s also the signal it sends to the rest of the receivers: be ready. No matter what route you’re running, the ball might be there.
“When we’re in meetings, and there’s a couple throws he made where the whole room’s like ‘oh, God, he really was throwing that,’” Pascal said. “Now we gotta do a better job of making sure we’re open so he can throw it.”
That galvanizes the skill players. Dart shows belief in them, so they show confidence in him.
“Absolutely. Hell yeah. Got us all believing,” Pascal said. “So now everybody’s on the field trying to get open. That ball may come. You never know… Everybody on the field, you’re running your route like you’re gonna hit it because he just may throw you that.”
“And that’s a positive feeling for a receiver,” he added. “OK, I know this is not just a ‘love of the route’ route, just clearing out for someone else. No, you might actually get the ball. That’s what he brings to the offense.”
Head coach Brian Daboll, Dart’s biggest supporter, is flexing his confidence in Dart’s abilities and makeup more and more every day.
“He’s got good command of the operation,” Daboll said after Dart’s 14-of-16 passing performance against the Jets. “He sees things well. He plays fast in the pocket, [has] ability to throw the ball with different arm angles, anticipation, doesn’t hold on to the ball.”
“[He] has an opportunity to make some plays with his legs,” the coach continued. “[He’s] athletic, [has] leadership, toughness… [We have to] keep growing him, but he’s played well.”
Dart’s postgame remarks also stood out on Saturday night.
While remaining humble about looking up to all his veteran quarterback teammates, Dart spoke as a leader of the team in his own right with an emphasis on raising the standard after the Giants’ 31-12 exhibition win over the Jets.
“I think that the most important thing is us getting the win. I want us to continue to expect these kinds of things as a team,” he said, “and build on these moments and just have fun winning and playing the game. The most important thing was to come out here and win.”
Russell Wilson certainly helped create some buzz around the Giants on Saturday, as well, by heaving that 80-yard bomb to Beaux Collins to kick start the preseason blowout.
Dart’s youth, enthusiasm, leadership and performance are very obviously contagious, though. And Wells said he can’t wait to watch where this goes — whether Wells makes the team or not.
“I’m not gonna lie, bro, I haven’t been here. I didn’t pay attention to their season last year. I heard a lot of things or whatever,” Wells said. “But bro, I’m so excited to see what this team’s gonna do.”
“I want to be here. I want to play for the New York Giants,” he added. “But if I’m not, I’m still gonna tune into these guys. I want to be here and see what these guys got going on. The energy, the vibes, the way coach — it’s just amazing. I can’t even put it into words. I’m so excited for this team.
“I can’t wait.”
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