When Darius Stills recently announced on Twitter that he was considering leaving West Virginia University to pursue a career in the National Football League, it came as a surprise to most West Virginia fans.
I Did Not Enter My Name In The 2020 NFL Draft Yet! I Will Be Making My Decision Soon.
— Darius C. Stills (@DariusStills56) December 1, 2019
Stills, the junior defensive lineman, has long been in the shadow of his younger brother Dante. Dante was the more physically gifted, the more highly-touted out of high school, the Stills brother who would one day likely play in the NFL.
Darius Stills was not offered a scholarship by West Virginia until very late and this was only after he initially committed to Rutgers. Stills thought the offer would never come.
According to his younger brother Dante, Darius has never been given the credit that he deserves. “He’s been overlooked his whole life for no reason. I feel like he has something to prove and I feel like he will prove it.”
Darius Stills has transformed himself physically. While Stills was a bit overweight as a Freshman out of high school, at 6’1 292, he is an ideal specimen at defensive line in the NFL. As a physical comparison, Aaron Donald, the best defensive lineman in the NFL is 6’1 280. While Stills has a long way to go to reach Aaron Donald status, he is right where he needs to be physically to have a chance to succeed in the NFL.
Stills has worked harder than ever before to and he shown what a dominant force he can be. During his three seasons with the Mountaineers, he has racked up 55 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.
Darius Stills has been told that he couldn’t do things his whole life and he has proved everyone wrong over and over and over again. This decision won’t be any different. Fans and experts will say that he should wait, that he should play another year before and that he’s not ready.
He has heard this his whole life and although this is the biggest decision of his young life, it’s really no different. Darius Stills has represented our state well, but I think he forego his final season at West Virginia University and enter the NFL Draft in the coming days.
Although Stills may not be a high draft pick, he will make a team and he will once again prove everyone wrong as he goes on to have a successful career in the National Football League.
Prediction: Stills enters the draft.
