BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Another cross-country flight awaits Dante Stills as he makes the trek from his hometown of Fairmont to Phoenix this week. Training camp begins for the Arizona Cardinals on July 25 and the preseason grind will start for Stills and his teammates.
Oct 29, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dante Stills (55) reacts against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
As a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, expectations for playing time may have been modest for the Fairmont Senior High School and WVU graduate a year ago. However, a combination of injuries around Stills on the defensive line and a quick grasp of the professional game allowed him to play in 15 of Arizona’s 17 games. Stills did not play in two of the first three games, but he became a fixture on the line throughout the balance of the season.
“I definitely played more than I expected. I was a late-round pick so coming in, I was like, ‘Maybe I will get a few reps here and there and kind of back up some guys’. But guys started to get hurt. My role went from watching and learning to actually being in there. But I loved that. I feel like it helped me being in there from game two. I want to be out there and learn hands on,” Stills said.
“It was definitely an honor and a privilege to be on that field and to go against guys I watched growing up for years upon years. It is just a blessing. It is so hard to put into words. It is something I have wanted to do my whole life. Seeing all the quarterbacks I grew up watching, watching the Heismans and the National Championships and Super Bowls, it is crazy.”
Dante Stills at the Stills Brothers Big Man Camp.
Stills made eight starts in his rookie season and he led Arizona’s defensive linemen with 47 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Only two other Cardinal rookies started as many games. Stills recorded multiple-tackle games 13 times. His most productive game came against the Baltimore Ravens when Stills racked up 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
“I am way more comfortable than I was because I am not a rookie. I am just coming out there now and having gone through the process, I know what to expect. Now I am not a rookie so I am up there with the guys that have been playing for years upon years.”
Dante Stills rides a horse at Hunkapi Horse Farms on Nov. 6, 2023, in Scottsdale. (Photo/Arizona Republic/USA Today Network)
Stills returned to West Virginia following the end of mini-camp in June. He and his older brother and 2020 Consensus All-American Darius Stills hosted the First Annual Stills Brothers Big Man Camp Saturday at Wayne Jamison Field in Bridgeport.
“I always enjoy my time back home. During the offseason, I might come back for a couple weeks and be back-and-forth. I just went on a break for a month right before camp. I get right to it when I get back.
“That was kind of the whole goal of doing this [camp]. It has been months in the making. But to be honest, we have been talking about this for years. This is very important for us and the kids.”
The Cardinals went 4-13 in 2023. Three of their four wins came when starting quarterback Kyler Murray returned to the lineup following an ACL injury.
“We have to do our one-eleventh and just do our jobs. If I just focus on doing my job and everybody else focuses on doing their job, it will all fall into place.”
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 12:57:54
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