Dante Miller’s NFL debut is either several weeks early or a year late.
The quick rookie running back, whose chances of being picked were dashed due to an NCAA eligibility issue while he was transferring from Columbia, an Ivy League star, to South Carolina, reached an agreement with the Giants on Friday.
Miller did not play in the previous season, but he remained close to the Gamecocks program when it was discovered that, as On3.com reported on Friday, he had inadvertently used up his final year of eligibility by playing infrequently in 2022.
Miller was declared ineligible by the sluggish NCAA only after he had participated in spring practice with South Carolina, which was well after the cutoff date for entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
The complications went on: Miller has been an unaware free agent in the NFL for roughly a year because he should have been selected in the 2023 draft and is therefore ineligible in 2024.
According to reports, the problem originated from South Carolina believing he had two years of eligibility following the cancellation of one of his Ivy League seasons due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but in reality, he only had two years to compete (and redshirt).
Although there was little FBS film available, Miller stood out for another reason: after rushing for 1,281 yards over 26 games in three years at Columbia, he carried the ball six times for 38 yards and played special teams at South Carolina.
Miller recorded the best times for a running back at the NFL Combine with his 4.27-second 40-yard dash and 28 reps on the 225-bench press at South Carolina’s Pro Day.
His performance gives him an early advantage over the glut of players who will go undrafted later this month and be looking for tryout and free-agent opportunities by April 28.
Miller reportedly had other appointments planned after his first visit with the Giants this week, but he was drawn to the opportunity to return to the New York region.
On April 15, he will be able to take part in the offseason program alongside the rest of the Giants. He will be a part of the running back group that is led by Devin Singletary and includes unproven prospects Gary Brightwell, Eric Gray, Jashuan Corbin, and Deon Jackson.
According to On3.com, Miller’s mother abandoned him when he was two years old and placed him in the foster care system in Connecticut. His grandmother then took custody of him and reared him separately from his brothers.