Jaxson Dart absolutely sparkled in his debut for the New York Giants.
And he can thank his sister's jewelry collection for that.
The first-round quarterback showed up for his news conference after his first practice of rookie minicamp Friday wearing a dazzling necklace that featured shiny, diamondlike-filled hearts. And the bling caught everyone's attention, especially when the lights from the team's indoor facility shined off it.
"So, my little sister had it, it was hers," a smiling Dart said. "It was before our bowl game and as I was leaving the house over Christmas — a little break before the bowl game — and just saw it in her room. And I was like, you know what, I kind of like it.
"So, I put it on and it's kind of been good luck for me ever since."
At the Gator Bowl in January, Dart was selected the MVP after leading Mississippi to a 52-20 thrashing of Duke while wearing the necklace. He threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns, further cementing himself as one of the draft's top available quarterbacks.
The Giants were so enthralled with Dart's talent that they traded back into the first round last month to take him with the 25th overall pick. The 21-year-old quarterback appeared to be wearing the necklace that day — and again when he was formally introduced by the team.
"She likes it, she likes it," a grinning Dart said when asked what his sister thinks of him wearing her jewelry. "Now my little brother ordered one, too, so."
It wasn't immediately known if the necklace actually contains diamonds or what material it was made of, but this one is staying around Dart's neck for now. Oh, and his sister eventually got a replacement for her jewelry box.
"Yeah, we got her another one, too," the quarterback said.
Dart joins the Giants seemingly with no pressure to play this season since New York signed veterans Russell Wilson — who's slated to be the starter — and Jameis Winston as free agents.
But being on the sideline will be a new experience for Dart, who has been a starter for as long as he can remember.
"I haven't really sat before," he acknowledged.
That dates to his high school days in Utah, followed by a one-year stint at USC where he started three games as a freshman and then three years at Ole Miss.
"I'm a competitor, so I'm going to come to work each and every day and do my best to make everybody around me better," he said. "I understand what the situation is, but for me and myself, I care about winning. There's nothing fun about losing, so it doesn't matter where you're at on the depth chart, if you're playing this much or not playing this much, if you're losing, it (stinks).
"So, for me, I want to make the team better, and that's my focus."
Dart is wearing No. 6 on his first jersey with the Giants — he was No. 2 at Ole Miss — but he acknowledged calling an audible might still be in play.
"Yeah, I think we'll come to a final decision here soon," Dart said. "Quite honestly, I kind of have to just look at the pictures to see if I like myself in (No.) 6."
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