Jaxson Dart Toon

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Jaxson Dart came to New York the way all good stories start: with a trade, a rookie number, and absolutely no idea how this was going to go. The Giants handed him the keys, pointed him toward the field, and watched him run the offense like someone who had been waiting for this his whole life. Which, at 22, he basically had.

This illustration is Dart as Anakin Skywalker, pre-Vader, right at the tipping point. Giants blue robe, NY headband, black eye mark, red lightsaber trailing at his side. The expression says it all: not angry, not celebrating, just locked in. Completely certain of something the rest of the room hasn’t figured out yet. That’s a pretty accurate read of how he played his rookie season.

Dart averaged 34.8 rushing yards per game and ran for nine touchdowns as a rookie. He plays like the pocket is a suggestion. The Giants reportedly asked him to take less contact, which is a reasonable request that he appeared to file away and promptly ignore. That kind of reckless confidence is either going to get him hurt or turn him into a star. Possibly both, in that order.

The Anakin comparison holds up beyond the outfit. Young, talented, plays with an edge, slightly uncontrollable. The Giants are hoping the story stops somewhere around Revenge of the Sith and doesn’t continue into the next trilogy.

Number 6. Blue and red. The Force is strong on the blue line. Wrong sport. You know what, it still works.

If you’re a Giants fan, a Star Wars fan, or just someone who appreciates a quarterback who plays like he’s got nothing to lose, this one belongs on your wall.