Dante Miller, CC ’22, expected to sign with New York Giants
The Giants revealed on Friday that they have agreed to terms with the former Columbia running back
The former Columbia football running-back would become the 41st alum to have been on a National Football League roster.
Dante Miller, CC ’22, has agreed to terms with the New York Giants, according to a press release published from the NFL team on Friday.
With his contract to be signed pending a physical examination, the former Columbia running back would be the first alum since 2018 to be featured on a National Football League roster. Following a year out of the game due to eligibility issues at South Carolina University, Miller impressed many with his performance at the 2024 South Carolina Pro Day last month. Among the likes of Senior Bowl MVP and current South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, and former NFL defensive lineman Jabari Ellis, the North Carolinian posted the fastest 40-yard dash time at the event with a time of 4.27 seconds. He then followed up with a 37.5-inch vertical jump and 28 reps bench-pressing 225 pounds, snagging the attention of teams such as the Giants.
Before he walked on for the Gamecocks in his graduate season, Miller spent four years at Columbia earning first team All-Ivy League honors his senior season. The three-year letterman left Morningside Heights ranking fourth in yards per carry in a career and rushing for a total of 1,281 yards on 258 carries. While he impressed many on the field, those that were around him felt a lasting impact from his character and determination.
“He was a fabulous kid right from the get go. He lit up the room. He’s really positive, really personable … people gravitate to him,” former head coach Al Bagnoli said in a 2022 interview with Spectator.
Miller’s career at Columbia is a story of perseverance: He suffered a season-ending injury after only six games played in his collegiate career, then lost a season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even then, he continued to train through that period to put forth a Most Valuable Player honor from Columbia’s winning season, along with leading the Ivy League in rushing yards .
“He grew as a person, in terms of looking at life, and understanding that everything isn’t always going to be immediate, and to have that delayed gratification and the patience,” former offensive coordinator Joe D’Orazio said on Miller’s growth at Columbia. “That patience that he grew into as a player, you can also see that mirrored in his life.”
