Matt Citak

The Giants wrapped up their 2025 Rookie Minicamp on Saturday with their second practice of the weekend.

After rainy conditions forced everyone inside yesterday, a beautiful but windy day allowed the team to practice outside on the final day.

Coach Brian Daboll spoke to the media before the players took the field, and Day 3 picks Marcus Mbow, Thomas Fidone II and Korie Black spoke to reporters after the practice session.

Here are takeaways from Day 2 of rookie minicamp.

Jaxson Dart has "natural leadership qualities"

It was only Day 1 of rookie minicamp, but quarterback Jaxson Dart "did a good job" in his first practice as a Giant, according to Daboll.

"He was prepared," Daboll told the media before the second practice. "He put a lot of time and effort into it. I got a lot of appreciation for how he's gone about short amount of time his business, and that's what's most important is how we can get him to a routine meeting with players extra, having walkthroughs at the hotels, communication, that's part of playing quarterback is being on top of all those little things and if he can't be on top of him, then the other guys, if they don't know him, he can't direct him in the right direction.

"In terms of where he threw the ball and I mean we're not running any exotic coverage or having a pass rush or pressure, so there'll be time to develop that. But what we've asked him to do and how he's gone about his business as a young pro at that position is important."

In addition to his production during practice, the rookie quarterback has also impressed his coaches with his demeanor around his teammates, both on and off the field.

"I think he's got some natural leadership qualities," Daboll said about Dart. "Look, we communicate. We're trying to teach as much as we can, not just plays, but a lot of other things that we believe are important for a young quarterback. We'll continue to do that. He's got the right traits for it."

On the final day of rookie minicamp, Dart connected with undrafted free agent wide receiver Da'Quan Felton for a deep touchdown on one of the last plays of practice.

Marcus Mbow "probably will be moving everywhere"

In his conference call with reporters after being drafted with the 154th overall pick, offensive lineman Marcus Mbow said he had been training at all five positions along the offensive line. The 22-year-old met with the Giants media for the first time in person Saturday and reiterated that he's prepared to play wherever his team might need him.

"I don't know a hundred percent," Mbow said when asked what position he's going to play this season. "I'll probably be moving everywhere, it's day two. Looking to see where it goes from there."

Mbow played right guard during his first two seasons at Purdue before being kicked outside to right tackle this past season. The 6-foot-4, 303-pound lineman performed well at both positions in college, and is confident that he will be able to do the same at the next level, regardless of where he lines up.

"Either way I like to know every position on the line, like what each role is, no matter what's going on," the lineman said. "Being able to play all positions would be better for myself at tackle or at guard or at center. Just being able to know everything, know what everybody's doing, I'll be good. I wouldn't say it's too stressful."

Mbow added, "I feel like I can succeed at all five positions to be honest."

Thomas Fidone II wouldn't change his path to NFL

Seventh-round pick Thomas Fidone II did not go through what many would consider a typical collegiate career.

The athletic tight end tore his ACL just one game into his freshman season at Nebraska. Before he could make it back onto the field the following year, Fidone tore the same ACL for the second time. The consecutive injuries limited the 6-foot-6 tight end to just one game over his first two seasons.

As hard as it was dealing with the injuries, the 22-year-old said he would not change a thing about his path to the NFL.

"It was definitely difficult, but I've always said this from college, and I wouldn't take them back," Fidone told the media. "I think that they've made me who I am mentally and physically, and it made me train harder in terms of just physically and being able to get back better than I was before. So that's always the kind of goal that I had when it came from getting back from the injuries."

As difficult as it was going through the same rehab in back-to-back years, Fidone said he was able to attack the process with a more confident mindset the second time knowing he already came back stronger from the injury once.

"It was difficult, but in my mind just being, I have a very close, tight family with lot of support and good friends, good friend group, but I knew I made it through the first one, came back strong, fast and explosive, so I knew I could do the second one even better," the rookie tight end said. "I almost had some experience unfortunately in a way, but just kind what to do and what it takes helped me push myself and get back to where I wanted to be."

Korie Black "ready to learn, get to work" with veterans

With rookie minicamp now concluded, the next step for the Giants' first-year players is integrating them with the rest of the roster.

That process will begin right away, as the rookies will join the veterans in Phase 2 of the offseason workout program this coming week.

Seventh-round pick Korie Black may now be the youngest player in the defensive backs room, but he comes to the Giants with a lot of experience under his belt. Black played 62 games with 38 starts at Oklahoma State, and was voted a team captain by his teammates heading into his final season there.

The rookie cornerback told reporters he's ready to meet his new teammates and absorb as much information from the veterans as possible.

"I'm really just ready to learn, get to work with these guys..." Black told the media. "They got experience so they can really guide me. And so that's really what I look forward to is just learning from those guys and just being able to really get experience off of them and work with them."

Speaking of his new, veteran teammates, Black said he got the chance to speak to one soon after the Giants drafted him when he received an unexpected FaceTime from quarterback Russell Wilson.

"You get a call from a random number, a FaceTime call, and then you see him pop up on the screen," the rookie cornerback said. "So, it was a cool experience. I even put my little brother on the phone, but it was a great experience."

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