From 'Love Island' to the practice field, Jaxson Dart is already fitting in with the Giants' QBs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — It took no time for Jaxson Dart to become one of the guys in the New York Giants ' quarterbacks room.

The first-round draft pick from Mississippi is drawing rave reviews for his work on and off the football field — and his competitive approach and cool confidence have helped him easily get along with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito.

The four often have dinner together and hang out away from the facility. DeVito also dropped the news that practice videos aren't all they watch together. He and Dart also occasionally tune into “Love Island,” the popular Peacock reality dating series.

“I can’t say we do it every night, but from time to time if we get an off day,” a smiling DeVito said Wednesday after the Giants wrapped up minicamp. “Yeah, we watch it, we talk about it.”

Not only that, the two have tossed around the idea of someday being contestants.

“Me and Jaxson might go on ‘Love Island,’” DeVito said. “We've talked about it. So, you really don't know what's about to happen.”

That could also be said of the Giants' quarterback situation as they head into training camp.

Wilson is the certain starter, but the spots behind him on the depth chart are up for grabs. And Dart will be given every chance to earn that No. 2 role.

“They’ve had this blueprint and they’ve done it with different quarterbacks and you’ve seen them succeed at the highest level, so I trust them,” Dart said. "For me, I’m just trying to be the most coachable player that I can. I want to play well in the offense. I want to be able to manage it and operate it at the highest level. I know that they definitely do have a plan. I’m just trying to take it day by day and I’m not looking for results immediately.

“I’m a process driven person, so I’m just taking it day by day, rep by rep.”

Coach Brian Daboll and the Giants loved what they saw from Dart when they evaluated him before the draft. So much so that general manager Joe Schoen traded back into the first round to take the Utah native with the 25th overall pick.

Daboll has spoken about having a plan for Dart through the offseason and into training camp, and so far the rookie has done an “excellent” job, according to the coach.

“He’s fit right in with those guys,” Daboll said. “He’s smart, he’s aggressive with the football, which I like. And then the true test will be once we start and there’s live hitting and preseason games and things like that. But he’s progressed since he’s been here to where he is now. He’s made good improvement.”

Wilson has taken the majority of the snaps with the starters. But Dart has been in for a few plays with the starting offense, while primarily working with the second and third teams.

“It’s good to get him in with the ones,” Daboll said. “There’s usually a level of anxiety at times for young players when they get thrown into the mix. It’s not exactly planned in terms of he’s getting rep (No.) 3. Sometimes we’ll just say, ‘Get in there.’ Then he’s calling plays in front of veterans that have done it at a high level. I think that’s important.”

Dart, who broke Eli Manning’s school record for yards passing at Ole Miss, said he was “swimming” a bit during his first few days in the NFL. But he has enjoyed having a lot of information thrown at him to see how much — and how quickly — he can absorb.

“I feel like I’ve made tremendous strides, especially from my first day to now, just being able to understand the pictures of the offense and whatnot,” Dart said. “Obviously, I have to dive into a lot more, but I’m definitely just trying to take it to the next level over the summer. Really just lock in, hone in on as much as I can throughout this time, so that way when I get back for training camp, I’m on an even better level than I’m now.”

And he can always turn to Wilson, Winston or DeVito — during commercial breaks, of course.

“Any time that I see them after practices sitting in the meeting room, I try to just sit down and listen,” Dart said. "In the meeting rooms, trying to listen and then if I have questions on the field, I've got three great guys to talk to and ask for advice from. So, I’m constantly searching for that. I don’t have any pride about myself going over to ask questions and I know that I definitely don’t know everything.

“So I definitely want to pick those guys’ brains because they’ve done it at the highest level and even won a Super Bowl.”

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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart throws a pass during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart warms up during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart speaks during a news conference after an NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants' Jaxson Dart warms up during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

A Ukrainian drone attack in southwestern Russia killed two people and parts of Ukraine went without power following Russian assaults on energy infrastructure, authorities said Saturday, as U.S.-led peace talks were about to restart on Sunday.

Foreign policy advisers from the U.S., Ukraine and Germany, among others, will meet in Berlin, German news agency dpa reported. Germany is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, part of efforts by European leaders to steer the negotiations.

For months, American officials have tried to navigate the demands of each side as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for a swift end to Russia’s war and grows increasingly exasperated by delays. The search for possible compromises has run into major obstacles, including the possession of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, mostly occupied by Russia but parts of which remain under Ukrainian control.

The drone attack in Russia's Saratov region damaged a residential building and several windows were also blown out at a kindergarten and clinic, said Gov. Roman Busargin. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down 41 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight.

In Ukraine, Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes on five Ukrainian regions, targeting energy and port infrastructure. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that over a million people were without electricity.

Zelenskyy said Russia had sent over 450 drones and 30 missiles into Ukraine overnight.

An attack on the Black Sea city of Odesa caused grain silos to catch fire at the port, Ukrainian deputy prime minister and reconstruction minister Oleksiy Kuleba said. Two people were wounded in attacks on the wider Odesa region, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.

Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing” the cold.

On the front lines, Ukrainian forces said Saturday that the northern part of the critical city of Pokrovsk was under Ukrainian control, despite Russia's claims earlier this month that it had taken full control of the city. The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the claims.

The latest round of attacks came after Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Friday that Russian police and national guard will stay on in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas and oversee the industry-rich region, even if a peace settlement ends the war. It underscores Moscow’s ambition to maintain its presence in Donbas postwar. Ukraine is likely to reject such a stance as U.S.-led negotiations drag on.

Moscow will give its blessing to a ceasefire only after Ukraine’s forces have withdrawn from the front line, Ushakov said in comments published in Russian business daily Kommersant.

Ukraine has consistently refused to cede the region to Russia, especially as parts remain under its control.

In other developments, around 480 people were evacuated Saturday from a train traveling between the Polish city of Przemysl and Kyiv after police received a call concerning a threat on the train, Karolina Kowalik, a spokesperson for the Przemysl police, told The Associated Press. Nobody was hurt and she didn't elaborate on the threat.

Polish authorities are on high alert since multiple attempts to disrupt trains on the line linking Warsaw to the Ukrainian border, including the use of explosives in November, with Polish authorities saying they have evidence Russia was behind it.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits attend drills at a training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits rest after drills at a training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits rest after drills at a training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits attend drills at a training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)

In this grab from a video provided by the Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine on Friday, Dec 12, 2025, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy records a video at the road entering of Kupiansk, Ukraine. (Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine via AP)