New York Giants Training Camp Player Preview: WR David Sills V

David Sills V has hung around the Giants since 2019. Can he finally crack the 53-man roster this year?

New York Giants receiver David Sills V is only 26 years old, but he might seem older given that he’s been in the football spotlight for over a decade.

In 2010, when Sills was in the seventh grade, he committed to play quarterback for USC. Of course, by the time Sills got to college, the coach who offered him a spot (Lane Kiffin) was no longer at USC. Sills and his family decided to de-commit in June 2014.

In high school, Sills played for Eastern Christian Academy, an online school that had a football team because David Sills IV put one together to wow NCAA scouts. As a junior, the younger Sills sustained a hand injury that would permanently hurt his motion and accuracy.

After de-committing from USC, Sills would go to West Virginia to play quarterback under Dana Holgorsen. After losing the quarterback battle, he would split time between quarterback and wide receiver. Not ready to give up on his dream of being a quarterback, Sills transferred to El Camino College for one season before returning to West Virginia.

However, his hope to play quarterback ended. In 2017, Sills’ first season as a full-time receiver, he posted 980 yards and a college-football leading 18 touchdowns on 60 catches. The following year, he posted 65 catches for 986 yards and a Big XII-leading 15 touchdowns.

In a 2019 interview, Holgorsen said that Sills asked to play some quarterback again in his second stint with the school. However, according to the coach, Sills lacked accuracy and was kept at receiver.

After college, Sills signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but would only be in Buffalo until August 31 of that year before being waived. He joined the Giants shortly after that and has mostly been on the practice squad since. 

Giants.com

What He Offers

At 6-foot-3, Sills offers tremendous size, and he plays faster than his 4.57 40-yard dash time from the 2019 NFL Combine. Working in an Air Raid offense in college, Sills ran either a go route or a hitch on 36.63 percent of his routes run during his senior season at West Virginia.

Sills was always an intriguing player, even outside his story as a middle school prodigy. Still learning how to play wide receiver, Sills has yet to show the ability to create separation as a route runner, although he’s shown that he has no problem going up and winning jump balls more often than not.

As a vertical threat, Sills can at least be a competitive player with the ball in the air, but he hasn’t shown the ability to consistently create separation or be able to free himself from press coverage.

A willing blocker and proven red zone producer, Sills could potentially be added to the list of big-bodied receivers trying to transition to tight end.

Sills will likely never find himself contributing as a return man on special teams but could contribute as a blocker and gunner.

Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

His Contract

Sills re-signed with the Giants on March 11, 2022. The contract was for one year and $825,000 with no guaranteed money. Should the Giants decide to release Sills, there would be no dead cap penalty against the salary cap. Sills would account for .4% of the Giants’ salary cap in 2022.

Jeff Lange via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Roster Projection/Expectations

There is a level of red zone comfortability with Sills, but that alone usually isn’t enough to warrant a roster spot at receiver.

The top four roster spots at the receiver spot are likely decided, barring injury (Golladay, Toney Shepard, and Robinson). That leaves two, maybe three spots available, and Sills might find himself the odd man out there, especially with a younger, taller, and more proven player in Collin Johnson, who last year was a contributor as a punt gunner.

Given his lack of guaranteed money, the Giants' log jam at receiver, and other options available, Sills, who initially was brought into the league by joe Schoen when he was part of Buffalo, is a longshot. 

 

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