Darius Stills facts for kids
| Position: | Defensive tackle |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 1, 1998 Fairmont, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 278 lb (126 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Fairmont Senior |
| College: | West Virginia |
| Undrafted: | 2021 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Darius Stills (born May 1, 1998) is an American football player. He plays as a defensive tackle, which is a position on the defensive line. Darius played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. He is currently a free agent, meaning he is not signed with any team.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Darius Stills grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia. He went to Fairmont Senior High School. During his time playing high school football, Darius was a very strong player. He made 191 tackles and had 44 tackles for loss. A tackle for loss means he stopped the opposing team's player behind their starting line. After high school, he decided to play college football at West Virginia University.
College Football Career
Darius Stills started his college football journey at West Virginia University. In his first two years, he played in 21 games. He recorded 13 tackles and one sack during this time. A sack happens when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
In 2019, during his junior year, Darius became a starter for the team. He had a fantastic season, making 46 tackles and seven sacks. Before his senior year, he was recognized as the Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. This award showed that coaches and experts expected him to be one of the best defensive players in the Big 12 Conference. In 2020, he was named a Consensus All-American, which means he was recognized as one of the best college football players in the entire country.
Professional Football Journey
After college, Darius Stills began his professional football career. He was not chosen in the NFL Draft, so he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent on May 7, 2021. He was later released by the Raiders.
In January 2022, Darius signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he was released by the Chiefs a few months later in May 2022.
He then joined the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL (United States Football League) in November 2022. He played with them for a short time before being released in March 2023.
Later in 2023, Darius signed with the Massachusetts Pirates. This team plays in the Indoor Football League (IFL). In July 2023, he also signed with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Family Connections in Football
Darius Stills comes from a family with a strong football background. Many of his family members have played in the NFL or in top college football programs.
- His brother, Dante Stills, also played alongside him at West Virginia University. Dante now plays defensive line for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL.
- Their father, Gary Stills, had a long career in the NFL, playing for 10 years. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, just like Darius did for a short time.
- Darius's uncle, Ken Stills, and his cousin, Kenny Stills, also played in the NFL. This shows how football talent runs in their family!
External Links
- West Virginia Mountaineers bio
