The New York Giants have revamped their running back room this offseason after losing star rusher Saquon Barkley to free agency in the spring. They have worked diligently to add talent to the backfield to offset the loss of Barkley, signing free agents and spending draft capital on the position.
The Giants’ marquee additions at the position have received much of the attention. Free-agent signing Devin Singletary is a projected 1,000-yard rusher and rookie fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. has been touted as a sleeper to become a future starter at the position.
But one underrated rusher has been standing out this summer as the Giants kicked off training camp last week. Undrafted rookie Dante “Turbo” Miller has been turning heads at training camp, creating a crowded dynamic in the Giants’ new-look backfield.
Dante Miller has been turning heads at training camp
Earlier this offseason, the Giants signed Miller as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. Miller is a 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back who possesses elite athleticism and carries with him an incredible story.
According to Giants.com, Miller had hoped to play for the Gamecocks in 2023 but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after the deadline to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Instead, Miller became a free agent that was not included in the 2024 draft class. Their practice report this weekend said that Miller “lived up to his ‘Turbo’ nickname with a pair of long touchdowns, one on a catch-and-run from Tommy DeVito and the second on a deep pass from Drew Lock.”
Miller reportedly ran a 4.27s 40-yard dash at South Carolina’s pro day this offseason and benched 225 pounds 28 times. That rare athleticism has shown up so far at training camp. Miller has been making plays, frequently standing out during the team’s early practices of the summer.
Miller’s big highlight of the weekend came when he hauled in a deep pass for a touchdown from second-string quarterback Drew Lock. Miller went deep and burned rookie linebacker Darius Muasau as he hauled in an over-the-shoulder grab for six points in the end zone:
Miller’s ability to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield will be a valuable trait that could help him make the roster by the end of the summer. Lead-rusher Singletary is a workhorse back who can handle a high volume of carries per game, but is not renowned as an excellent pass-catcher out of the backfield. Big Blue will need to pen down which running back will be their primary receiving back on third downs this summer. That could wind up being Miller, however, he has some competition to fill that role.
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The Giants’ backfield is getting crowded
Between Miller’s standout play, the emergence of fellow rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr., the hopeful second-year leap from Eric Gray, and the newly-signed workhorse Devin Singletary, the Giants’ backfield is getting crowded.
Miller has gotten off to a hot start this summer, but he still has a long, winding road ahead of him to make the final roster. As an undrafted free agent, the Giants have far less invested in Miller than they do in Tracy and Gray, both of whom were fifth-round draft picks.
The G-Men could wind up carrying three or four running backs on the roster, but that third or fourth guy will need to be able to contribute on special teams to increase their value. Miller’s path to making the roster may be unclear, but the potential is there for him to be a special talent. If he can continue to stand out and make some plays on special teams during the preseason, Miller could be a sleeper to make the final roster this summer.
