Giants' silver lining: Rookie class has performed well
New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) celebrates after tackling Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Credit: AP/John Locher
During Sunday’s win over the Raiders, Jaxson Dart took in the views from the sideline and felt proud of what he saw. Not only were the Giants winning but he and his fellow rookies played a key role in snapping the nine-game losing streak.
“I’m watching Abdul [Carter] ball, I’m watching [Darius Alexander] ball,” Dart said. “Skat [Cam Skattebo] was here today. When you think about this rookie class, I think that we have a really bright future and we’re going to be a big pivot and turn this thing around.”
Add Marcus Mbow starting at left tackle and four rookies shined in their final road game of the season. Carter had nine pressures, four quarterback hits and a half-sack to wrap up a strong December. Alexander had a sack. Then there was Dart bouncing back from his worst game as a pro.
Dart rushed for two touchdowns, had a season-high 73.3% completion percentage and was turnover-free for the sixth time in 11 starts. He was efficient (22-for-30 passing), made good decisions running the ball and played with his usual swagger.
“That’s what's most important is you see the growth,” interim coach Mike Kafka said Monday, “You see a player that's continuing to learn from the good, the bad and then continuing to take steps forward and continuing to step up and rise to the occasion when things aren't great and take ownership and take accountability and hold other guys accountable.”
With one game left, all that matters for the Giants besides draft order and pride is development. They need to see this rookie class make a good, lasting impression, especially with a new head coach coming in.
Besides Dart’s play, Carter has been on a tear with 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 10 quarterback hits since he was benched for the first quarter in Week 13. Mbow gets to audition as a starting tackle with Jermaine Eluemunor set to enter free agency.
Alexander’s 3.5 sacks are third on the team behind Brian Burns and Carter. Add in Skattebo’s fast start before his injury and the Giants' rookie class has produced well.
How they fare against the Cowboys in Week 18 is more significant than a win or loss, even if a win means the Giants won’t likely get a top-three pick. It also needs to be a jump-off for the rookies being better in 2026.
Consider last year’s class as a cautionary tale. Malik Nabers had a 1,200-yard receiving season. Tyrone Tracy II had over 1,100 scrimmage yards. Theo Johnson showed potential for a Year 2 leap. Defensive backs Tyler Nubin and Dru Phillips became starters.
A year later, the shine has dimmed. Nabers tore his ACL in Week 4 but is still a face of the team's future. Tracy leads the Giants in rushing and remains a pass-catching threat, yet his yards per carry dipped from 4.4 to 4.0.
Johnson leads the Giants with five receiving touchdowns and is second with 528 receiving yards. His season, though, has come with too many dropped passes at the wrong times.
Phillips has two interceptions but his nine penalties are tied for second most among defensive backs. Nubin hasn’t recorded an interception through two seasons.
The 2023 class has been worse with two of the Giants’ top three picks that year — Deonte Banks and Jalin Hyatt — not even starting. It’s a reminder that early success doesn’t predict anything.
Still, one last strong outing for these rookies can leave fans hopeful there are building blocks for the next coach. For Dart, how he plays Sunday will be a reminder why he’s indeed the Giants’ future quarterback.
NFL Network reported before the win over the Raiders that the Giants, should they get the No. 1 pick, would evaluate every option before making a decision. That included considering drafting a quarterback.
The report wasn’t a total shock — pondering an option doesn’t mean executing it — but it created speculation about Dart’s future. Kafka didn’t waver when asked if he believes Dart is a franchise quarterback.
“I don’t have any doubts about that,” Kafka said.
Dart wasn’t fazed by the report. He said that he’s “going to continue to play my ball” because “I know I’m going to be here for a very long time.”
After how he and the rookies played Sunday, a strong final performance this week would give fans hope that’s the case.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
