Key Takeaways
- Antwane "Juice" Wells is hoping to make his mark with the New York Giants in Year 1.
- The rookie wideout reunites with college teammate Jaxson Dart after signing as an undrafted free agent with the G-Men.
- Wells sat down with RG and spoke about learning from Russell Wilson, finding chemistry with Dart, and what he's focusing on to make the NY roster.
Antwane Wells Jr. #3 of the Mississippi Rebels (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
The tagline of the 1992 crime thriller Juice was simply: “Juice: How far will you go to get it?” The film marked the first-ever acting role for the late Tupac Shakur and centered around four New York City teens trying to earn “juice”—a slang term for respect or power—by any means necessary.
Juice is one of the all-time favorite films of New York Giants rookie wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells, who earned his nickname because of his ability to juke defenders and juice the ball.
These days, "Juice" is more than just a nickname—it's almost interchangeable with his first name. He was a first-team All-SEC selection at South Carolina in 2022 before transferring to Ole Miss, and later signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent.
He’ll head to training camp with the spirit and energy of Frank Sinatra’s classic “New York, New York.” If Wells can make it there, he can make it anywhere.
“It’s the biggest city of branding in the world,” Juice said in an exclusive interview with RG. “Man, it’s New York City—it’s great. This organization is great. The way they treat their players is great, the chemistry in this building is great.
“Honestly, I haven’t been anywhere else, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I feel like this place is the one, and I’m excited to see how my career pans out here.”
In the big city of dreams, Wells has already found two key mentors: Giants quarterback Russell Wilson and fellow wide receiver Malik Nabers.
“In meetings, [Wilson's] like a coach,” said the 24-year-old Wells. “We’ll have an offensive meeting, and the coach will be talking, and he’ll say, ‘Hey coach, can I say something real quick?’ And then he’ll go on for about five minutes, describing the mentality we need to have, the preparation, the accountability, and the responsibilities we need to take on as young men to get where we want to go.
“This is a quarterback that won a Super Bowl—of course, he knows what it takes.”
Wells said rookies are expected to be at the facility by 6:30 a.m., but Wilson typically arrives even earlier.
“He’s coming in so early, he’s cutting the coffee machine,” Juice joked. “He’s putting the lights on.”
Wells also called the 10-time Pro Bowler “the true definition of a leader.”
The Giants made major changes at quarterback this offseason, moving on from Daniel Jones after five years. Once considered the franchise cornerstone, Jones never lived up to expectations after being drafted sixth overall in 2019.
Wilson is now the presumptive starter, while Nabers—who set the NFL rookie record with 109 receptions last season—will likely be his top target. Nabers also holds LSU’s all-time receiving record and the Giants’ single-season receptions record.
This summer, Nabers has taken Wells under his wing. Though three years younger, Nabers brings an elite level of experience and maturity.
“After practice, he’ll teach me different releases, different ways to run routes, and how to manipulate the DB to get to the right spot on the field,” Wells said.
“He’s mature for his age and takes his game seriously. He’s a Pro Bowl receiver in his rookie year—that says a lot. I want to take in as much as he has to offer.”
From College to The Pros
Wells is also tapping into his own brand. He’s teamed up with Loom, a juice company based in New Jersey, which is expanding its presence at sports and music events across New York City.
“It balances low calories and still tastes good,” he said. “It’s healthy. I can drink these without a lot of sugar or calories in my system.”
Though cranberry is his favorite juice flavor, he drinks it in moderation due to the high sugar content in most commercial juices—a concern for a professional athlete’s strict regimen.
Wells finds himself in a rare position for a rookie: his college quarterback, Jaxson Dart, is in Giants camp with him. While Wilson is QB1 for now, Dart—an All-SEC first-teamer last season—is viewed as the quarterback of the future after being drafted 25th overall this past April, a pick that ex-Giants OL Justin Pugh predicted last December in an exclusive interview with RG.
The Giants, one of the NFL’s five charter franchises, are rich in history but have fallen on hard times. They haven’t won their division in 14 years and have made just one playoff appearance in the past nine seasons. The team is once again rebuilding, with a heavy focus on youth and the quarterback position.
Having a familiar face helps ease the transition for both rookies.
He added that having Dart around helps him learn the playbook more efficiently.
“He wants to go through walk-throughs and study together, so we’re both learning at the same time. We’re in the hotel, chilling, just laid back. It’s nice—I enjoy having him here.”
Wells praised Dart’s strong arm, athleticism, and leadership qualities.
“His toughness, the way he runs through defenders, jumps over people. But more than that, he’s a great guy. He really values relationships. He’s one of those guys who hates losing more than he loves winning.
“I saw him lose a pool game earlier today, and he was hot. That competitive spirit is just one of a kind.”
Wells knows what he needs to do to make the roster: master the mental game.
“The main thing we’re working on is the mental aspect,” he said. “Whether it’s learning the playbook, special teams, or how to read coverages—two-high, one-high, all kinds of defensive looks.
“The playbook here in New York is huge. We’ve got to hone in on the details and really get this thing down. Because once we do, I feel like this offense will be really hard to stop.”
