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New York Giants 2024 Training Camp Preview: RB Dante Miller

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6 months ago

June 23, 2024

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New York Giants 2024 Training Camp Preview: RB Dante Miller

Dante Miller has a history of overcoming the odds to achieve his dreams. Placed in foster care at the age of two after his mother abandoned him, Miller was raised by his mother’s first cousin, Antoinette Flowers, who provided him with the structure and guidance to help him achieve his dream of playing football.

Following his high school career at Richmond High in Rockingham, North Carolina, Miller became the first alumnus from that school to be accepted at an Ivy League School.

Enter Columbia University, where Miller rushed for 1,281 yards on 258 carries and recorded six touchdowns. His career-long run of 83 yards put him in the school’s record books for having the sixth-longest rush in school history.

Miller finished his stint in Columbia ranked ninth in career rushing yards (1,281), fourth in yards per carry (5.0), and seventh in rushing yards per game (49.3).

He then transferred to South Carolina as a walk-on graduate transfer, a move that would see him embark on a crazy and frustrating odyssey to the next step: the NFL draft. But Miller, who has always shown resolve when the chips were stacked against him, wasn’t about to be denied.

Height: 5-9
Weight: 200 lbs.
Exp.: R
School: South Carolina
How Acquired: FA-24

Thanks to a misunderstanding regarding his eligibility, Miller’s last action came in 2022, when he played six games for the Gamecocks and had six rushing attempts for 38 yards. Miller only played in six games due to unresolved questions about his eligibility and the time he had left to take advantage of his college career.

The miscommunication occurred after he transferred from Columbia. It was initially thought he had two years of eligibility left to play, when in reality, he only had two years to play one season. South Carolina appealed to the NCAA to get Miller reinstated for the 2023 season, but the NCAA ruled he was ineligible to play in 2023.

The miscommunication also affected Miller’s eligibility for the draft. Whereas he was eligible for the 2023 draft, he was ruled ineligible for the 2024 draft. As a result, Miller became an unrestricted free agent who chose to sign with the Giants in early April, enabling him to get a headstart on learning the team’s playbook.

Miller signed a three-year, $2.83 million contract with no signing bonus or guaranteed money. His 2024 cap hit is $795,000, which is 0.3 percent of the team’s total cap and doesn’t count against the team’s Top 51 highest salaries.

Miller is nicknamed “Lil Turbo” because of his speed, which cannot be taught. During South Carolina’s pro day, he ran a 4.27-second 40 and a 1.5-second 10-yard split. He also wowed with 28 bench press reps, suggesting that he has the core skills–strength and speed—to power through piles.

During the Giants’ spring practices, he got a few looks at kickoff returner, where his speed and elusiveness should serve him well. Yet, for as intriguing a prospect as Miller is, he’s probably destined to land on the practice squad for several reasons. First, his eligibility issues kept him out of football for basically a season and a half, so there would be a matter of getting his feet back underneath him.

More important, though, is the numbers at the running back spot. Barring injury, the Giants figure to keep Devin Singletary, Eric Gray, and Tyrone Tracy Jr as their three running backs. While they could keep a fourth one–that would come down to Miller, recent signee Jacob Saylors, and Jashaun Corbin–we still think Miller might be destined for the practice squad where he’ll be able to get caught up on pro coaching so that if there is an injury-related opening, he’ll be ready to step in late in the year.