David Sills Bio
David Sills V is an American professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Born on May 29, 1996, in Wilmington, Delaware, Sills first gained national attention as a seventh-grade quarterback and later became one of the most productive college pass-catchers in the country. He has spent time with several NFL franchises and is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After a college career split between the University of Southern California commitment trail, West Virginia University, and El Camino College, Sills transitioned permanently to wide receiver and was recognized as a First-team All-American in 2017. Since going undrafted in 2019, he has continued to develop into a dependable possession receiver.
Early Life and Background
David Sills V was born to Denise and David Sills IV, a commercial developer and contractor who previously played cornerback for the Virginia Military Institute. He grew up alongside two older sisters, Emma and Abby, in a household that placed a strong emphasis on athletics and discipline.
Sills began playing youth football at age six and started formal quarterback training at age nine with renowned coach Steve Clarkson. As a freshman at Red Lion Christian Academy in Delaware, he threw for 1,355 yards and nine touchdowns, prompting Sports Illustrated to label him one of the greatest young prospects in the country. The following season, he passed for 2,340 yards and 28 touchdowns, earning MaxPreps freshman All-American recognition.
His family later moved him to Eastern Christian Academy in Elkton, Maryland, a school formed in part by his father to give talented players an extra stage for college recruiters. The program played only a limited schedule during his tenure, and a knuckle injury suffered in his junior year permanently altered his throwing mechanics, foreshadowing his eventual shift to receiver.
Path to American Football
Sills became a national story in 2010 when, at age thirteen, he verbally committed to play football at the University of Southern California under head coach Lane Kiffin. He was one of the youngest players ever to receive a scholarship offer from a major college program, and the early commitment drew extensive media attention.
After USC changed coaching staffs and signed other top quarterbacks, Sills decommitted in June 2014 and announced his decision to attend West Virginia University. He enrolled early with the Mountaineers in 2015 but, blocked by established quarterbacks on the depth chart, switched to wide receiver and caught two passes for 64 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown, in his debut against Baylor. He saved his best performance for the 2016 Cactus Bowl, hauling in the game-winning score against Arizona State.
Looking for more playing time, Sills transferred to El Camino College in 2016, where he threw for 1,636 yards and 15 touchdowns as a quarterback. He returned to West Virginia in December 2016 and lined up exclusively at wide receiver the following spring, setting the stage for a historic 2017 season under quarterback Will Grier.
David Sills Career
Early Career (2015-2016)
Sills opened his college career at West Virginia in 2015 as a quarterback contender before settling into a reserve role at wide receiver. He finished his freshman campaign with seven receptions for 131 yards, highlighted by the game-winning touchdown grab in the Cactus Bowl against Arizona State. Those moments showed scouts and coaches that his future might lie at the receiver position.
His 2016 season began with spring drills divided between quarterback and wide receiver work. With the depth chart crowded, Sills chose to transfer to El Camino College, where he rediscovered his rhythm as a passer. A late-2016 decision to return to West Virginia set the stage for his most productive college stretch.
West Virginia Breakthrough (2017-2018)
Back at West Virginia in 2017, Sills became one of the most explosive receivers in college football. He opened with nine receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia Tech, then posted seven catches for 153 yards and three scores versus East Carolina. He continued his assault on opposing secondaries with multi-touchdown efforts against Kansas, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech, and Baylor, eventually finishing the year with 18 touchdown receptions, tied for the national lead.
His 2017 production earned him First-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, and CBS Sports, along with a spot as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. He also received multiple second-team All-American nods, and the Mountaineers leaned on him heavily in their high-scoring offense.
In 2018, Sills was a preseason Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award watch list member. He opened with seven catches, 140 yards, and two touchdowns against Tennessee and added multi-touchdown games against Kansas State, Baylor, Texas, and Oklahoma. His 15 receiving scores led the Big 12 Conference, and he was named First-team All-Big 12 and a Second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association.
Buffalo Bills and New York Giants Era (2019-2022)
Sills signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in April 2019 but was waived before the regular season. He quickly landed on the New York Giants practice squad and was promoted to the active roster in December 2019, giving him his first real NFL action. He appeared in games for the Giants and worked his way up the depth chart, but a fractured foot suffered during 2020 training camp forced him onto injured reserve.
After bouncing between the practice squad and active roster in 2021, Sills re-signed with the Giants in March 2022. He surpassed 100 career receiving yards in a Week 7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, later released and re-signed to the practice squad in January 2023. He was waived during final cuts in August 2023, ending his time in New York.
Denver Broncos Era (2023-2024)
One day after his release from the Giants, Sills signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad in late August 2023. He signed a reserve and future contract in January 2024 and spent the offseason competing for a depth role, but was released in late August 2024 and quickly brought back to the practice squad.
Though Sills appeared in limited regular-season action in Denver, the experience allowed him to refine his route running and special teams contributions. The Broncos parted ways with him after the 2024 campaign, opening the door for his next opportunity.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2025)
On January 21, 2025, Sills signed a reserve and future contract with the Atlanta Falcons. After making the initial 53-man roster, he was released and re-signed to the practice squad in early September before being promoted to the active roster on September 13, 2025. He wasted little time making an impact, catching his first career NFL touchdown against the New Orleans Saints on November 23, 2025, and adding a second score the following week against the New York Jets.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Era (2026-Present)
On April 7, 2026, Sills signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, continuing his journeyman career along the eastern seaboard. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to compete for a depth role on a contending roster, and he now operates as a veteran presence in the Buccaneers wide receiver room.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although he began as a passer, Sills has built his professional profile as a reliable possession receiver who understands coverage leverage. His quarterback background gives him advanced route timing and pre-snap recognition, and his height and length make him a strong red-zone target. Coaches have praised his professionalism, work ethic, and willingness to contribute on special teams when called upon.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sills’s 18-touchdown 2017 season tied for the FBS national lead and stands as the statistical centerpiece of his career. He also became one of the youngest players ever to land a scholarship offer from a Power Five program when he committed to Southern California in 2010, and his first two NFL touchdowns came in back-to-back games in late 2025.
David Sills Career Wins
David Sills V has built a reputation as a touchdown-maker, first at the college level and later as a depth contributor in the NFL. While he has yet to post a Pro Bowl or major NFL statistical title, his body of work includes elite college production and steady professional reliability.
West Virginia Highlights
Across the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Sills recorded 33 receiving touchdowns, a Biletnikoff Award finalist appearance in 2017, two First-team All-Big 12 selections, and a national touchdown reception title. He posted multiple multi-touchdown games against Big 12 opponents, including four-touchdown performances that helped Mountaineers wins and cemented his place in program history.
Other Wins & Performances
At El Camino College, Sills threw for 1,636 yards and 15 touchdowns in his lone season, helping the Warriors develop several future college players. In the NFL, his 2025 stretch with the Falcons delivered his first two professional touchdowns in back-to-back weeks, marking the first sustained scoring production of his pro career.
David Sills Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
David Sills V comes from a sports-oriented family anchored by his father, David Sills IV, a former Virginia Military Institute cornerback turned commercial developer. His mother, Denise, raised David and his two older sisters, Emma and Abby, in a structured environment that emphasized faith, education, and athletics.
Personal Life
Sills grew up in a tight-knit family that supported his early football dreams, including the bold decision to leave Red Lion Christian Academy for Eastern Christian Academy. He has largely kept his personal relationships private, focusing public attention on his faith, training, and ongoing NFL development.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the first sustained regular action of David Sills V’s NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. He earned a promotion to the active roster in mid-September and quickly produced, catching his first career NFL touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in late November before adding a second score the following week against the New York Jets. He finished the year with 31 receptions for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns, modest totals that nonetheless represented a major milestone for the former college star.
Sills served primarily as a rotational receiver and special teams contributor, valued for his size, route knowledge, and locker-room leadership. He played under a reserve and future contract signed in January 2025, and his late-season scoring surge provided tangible evidence of his continued growth within the Atlanta system.
Although Atlanta finished outside the postseason picture, Sills’s role offered a glimpse of the kind of possession-receiver presence he could provide in 2026 and beyond. Following the campaign, he signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he will compete for a depth role in a wide receiver room that has reached the playoffs in recent seasons.
