The New York Giants have a budding star at quarterback in Ole Miss product Jaxson Dart. After posting 24 all-purpose touchdowns and over 2,700 all-purpose yards, the 22-year-old is looking to take the next step in his sophomore year.

New York has taken serious steps to upgrade its whole offensive production by signing Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely and wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III. That’s also being cushioned by the hopeful return of superstar wideout Malik Nabers and the resigning of right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. It remains to be seen which direction they take at the NFL draft, but the onus is now on Dart.

The second-year quarterback is getting all the tools he needs to succeed in his second year. The question he should be asking himself is: What steps should he take now to make 2026 a real breakout year?

The Hot Take: Get On The Same Page With Harbaugh

Harbaugh’s signing from the Giants’ standpoint came down to a sense of order and stability, something the team has lacked over the last decade. He brings a sense of aggression and excellence to the team, combined with a player-first attitude in which he sees the team as “family.” It’s also important to note that he loves to be creative and pivot when the team needs to, which is something unconventional players thrive on.

Under Harbaugh’s reign in Baltimore, we saw him develop Lamar Jackson into an MVP-caliber quarterback who’s a true dual-threat. He essentially scrapped the team’s Joe Flacco-oriented offense, centered on an old-school build with mid-yardage plays and limited pocket movement, in favor of one tailored for a Michael Vick-esque player. It paid off dividends.

“The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League,” Harbaugh said in 2024 about Jackson.

While Dart isn’t a Jackson-level type of player. Yet. As far as the league can see at the moment, Harbaugh has the ability and toolset to turn him into another dual-threat quarterback that could jostle a long-decaying offensive carcass. The only thing he has to do is listen to Harbaugh and work with him every step of the way; he needs to listen and learn while also giving his own input.

Sure, there will be some head-butting along the way behind the scenes. Still, with Harbaugh’s attitude towards his players and Dart’s creativity in the pocket, there could be some good things on the horizon.

What You Need To Know: Dart Needs To Take More Risks Downfield

On top of utilizing his legs a little more and being a bit safer by sliding for a first down, Dart could excel if he began to take some risks downfield. That’s not saying he’s thrown a couple of downfield dimes in 2025, but the second year should be better given the new coaching style, the return of Nabers, and a sturdy offensive line to give him time.

In the modern game, big-time dimes downfield are becoming more normal with more dynamic route-runners and crazy acceleration off the line. One can argue he was limited with Nabers on the sideline recovering from a torn ACL, but in 2026, there is no excuse if the opportunity arises. Even Harbaugh agrees that there’s “nothing he can’t do.”

“Power run, dropback pass, quarterback-driven stuff, RPOs, quick ball-out type of completions. He can throw the ball downfield, throw it off play action. I'm not sure what he really can’t do, you know? So we're gonna try to live in those different worlds and see how it fits all the other guys on the offense,” Harbaugh said recently.

There is some room for improvement, with only 3,703 passing yards from the entire Giants team when including Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. At the same time, there are also some issues with his air distance, which ranks among the shortest in the league. He’ll need to build some arm strength and communicate better with his new receivers in 2026.

Before You Go: Beware The Sophomore Slump

It’s a real thing, and it could very well happen to Dart in his second season. Usually, defenses don’t have a real clue what a rookie product is capable of doing until they actually see him or see the tape. Even then, there are serious risks of curveballs thrown into their game plan due to the ever-changing dynamics of the offense.

By the second year, after a full offseason of studying their game, defenses might have a better idea of what they’re going up against. It happened to Matt Ryan, and it also happened to Tim Couch, where defenses were able to really solve their puzzles. Ryan did have a successful career, whereas Couch fell out of the league quickly. Of course, coaching cultures and offensive structures can absolutely play a role.

Dart has the ability to become a Matt Ryan instead of a Tim Couch, but it’s up to him not to sink to that level if he has a slump next year.