The jump from college to the pros is a massive one, so every NFL rookie must utilize all advantages at their disposal in order to successfully make the leap. If you have a college teammate with you in camp, well, then you got a nice little thing working in your favor. It’s an even better situation when you have a quarterback and wide receiver combination, like wideout Antwane “Juice” Wells and signal caller Jaxson Dart with the New York Giants.
They developed chemistry together at the University of Mississippi last season, and now they look to bring that collegiate combination to the city that never sleeps. And while they have the Ole Miss experience in common, they came to the Giants with vastly different expectations being placed upon them.
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Dart, taken in the first round with the 25th overall pick, is the Giants’ quarterback of the future. Russell Wilson was signed this offseason to be their quarterback of the present. Wells, meanwhile, was signed as an undrafted free agent.
Juice discussed the benefits that come with having Dart around as he makes his transition to the next level.
“It’s like a sense of comfortability, being around him,” Wells said in an exclusive with RG. “You are kind of at home a little bit. You can kind of relax a little bit, things not as intense. You got that one friend from home; we can go out to get dinner sometimes, and we go just to kick it and just talk about our day.”
“And it also helps learn the playbook, because he wants to go through walk-throughs and stuff like that, and we’re both learning at the same time. So it helps us out a lot, we’re learning the plays together. We all in the hotel, chilling, just laid back; It’s nice.”
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Wells emphasized what makes Dart such a top prospect in the NFL, and why the Giants are so high on him. Dart brings a lot to the table, both from a tangible and intangible perspective.
“Of course, his strong arm, his ability to scramble around the pocket and make explosive plays,” Juice articulated.
“His toughness to run through defenders and jump over people and all that type of stuff. But besides all that, he’s just a great guy. He’s really big on building relationships, and his attitude- that’s the definition of a guy that hates losing more than he loves to win, I promise you that.”
Juice has already signed an endorsement deal (that includes an equity stake) with, naturally and obviously, a juice brand. Loom, based just across the Hudson in New Jersey, produce a juice with a vegan formula that coalesces with the rigorous nutrition standards that professional athletes have.
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“It kind of balances: low calories and naturally tastes good,” Wells said of Loom. “It’s a lot on the health side that’s beneficial.”
Being in Gotham is obviously a great boon for branding, as NYC is the undisputed capital of the world for marketing. One man who definitely knows how to market himself is Wells’ college coach, Lane Kiffin.
The Ole Miss head man is one of the game’s more colorful characters. He’s also celebrated for his superior ability to game plan and scheme.
Wells shared his admiration for both Kiffin’s coaching style and his acumen for the Xs and Os.
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“He took me in with open arms,” Wells continued. “I was new, and he made it real comfortable for me to be there. And I love that about him. I will always have a special place in my heart for Ole Miss and Coach Lane Kiffin; just great.
“And just the way that he dials everything up, with him and coach Weis, they’re like a one two punch. They are taking shots all game. And the way he schemed things up, and gets his players open, I will always appreciate it.
As an undrafted free agent, the odds are obviously against Wells making the opening day 53-man roster. However, he knows that with a commitment to earning his opportunities through hard work, and maintaining a positive attitude, Wells can defy the odds and grab a roster spot.
“I’m gonna have to have a tremendous amount of work ethic,” he said.
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“My attitude is gonna have to be at an all time high, and I’m gonna have to be a dawg, you know.
“I’m gonna go out there and just earn everything that I want. Everything that I see myself accomplishing and everything that I want is right in front of me. I have to just go out there and get it”
Weis was hired in 2022 and in 2023, Weis led an Ole Miss offense that paved the way for the school’s first 11-win season, which included a New Year’s Six bowl (Peach Bowl victory). The Rebels offense ranked very high, nationally, in several statistical categories, including passing efficiency and total offense.
The combination of Kiffin and Weis sped the development of Dart and Wells along, helping to put them in the opportunistic place that they are right now.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Can Ole Miss teammates replicate their chemistry in the Big Apple?