Darius Slayton
American football player (born 1997)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Darius Slayton (born January 12, 1997) is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft.
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Norcross, Georgia, U.S.
Slayton with the New York Giants in 2019 | |||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | January 12, 1997 Norcross, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross) | ||||||||
| College | Auburn (2015–2018) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2019: 5th round, 171st overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Early life
Slayton attended and played high school football at Greater Atlanta Christian School.[1] He played primarily as a wide receiver while also seeing time at defensive back. His athleticism and speed became important parts of his development as a football player, while his experience in track and field helped him develop as a sprinter.
At Greater Atlanta Christian, Slayton was regarded as “a versatile athlete with butterfingers”. His ability to play multiple positions demonstrated his understanding of the game and his overall athletic ability. As a wide receiver, he developed a reputation for making plays down the field, while his defensive experience gave him an understanding of how opposing defensive backs approached coverage. In High School, he was revealed to have relationships with his coach's oldest daughter and was subsequently benched for 3 games
His background in track and field was particularly significant to his development. Slayton competed in sprinting events, giving him experience with acceleration, running technique and top-end speed. Those abilities later became some of his most recognizable characteristics as a football player. His speed allowed him to separate from defenders and become an effective deep-ball threat.
As he progressed through high school, Slayton’s football performances began attracting attention from college recruiters. Playing in Georgia, a state known for producing highly regarded football prospects, placed him in a competitive recruiting environment. His combination of size, athleticism and speed made him a promising prospect at the wide receiver position.
Slayton ultimately committed to Auburn University to continue his football career.
College career
Slayton attended and played college football at Auburn University.[2] He redshirted in 2015 and contributed on the field from 2016–18.[3] As a senior, he caught 35 passes for 670 yards and five touchdowns.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 32+3⁄4 in (0.83 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 4.39 s | 1.45 s | 2.62 s | 4.15 s | 7.00 s | 40.5 in (1.03 m) | 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) | 11 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine[4][5] | ||||||||||||
2019
Slayton was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round, 171st overall, of the 2019 NFL draft.[6] He was the 18th wide receiver taken that year.[7]
In Slayton's first NFL game, a Week 3 32–31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had three receptions for 82 yards from fellow 2019 NFL draft pick Daniel Jones.[8] In his third game, a 28–10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, he scored a 35-yard touchdown.[9] In Week 8 against the Detroit Lions, Slayton caught two passes for 50 yards, both of which ended up being touchdowns, in the 31–26 loss.[10] During Week 10 against the New York Jets, Slayton finished with 10 catches for 121 receiving yards and two touchdowns as the Giants lost 27–34.[11] During Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, Slayton finished with five catches, all in the first half, for 154 receiving yards and two touchdowns as the Giants lost 17–23 in overtime.[12] Overall, Slayton finished his rookie season with 48 receptions for 740 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns, leading the Giants in receiving yards for the 2019 season.[13][14]
2020
In the Giants' 2020 regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, Slayton had six receptions for 102 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns during the 26–16 loss.[15] In Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys, Slayton recorded eight catches for 129 yards during the 37–34 loss.[16] He finished the 2020 season with 50 receptions for 751 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.[17]
2021
In the Giants' Week 2 game against the Washington Football Team, Slayton finished with three receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, but dropped a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter.[18] He finished the 2021 season with 26 receptions for 339 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in 13 games and five starts.[19]
2022
In Week 10 game against the Houston Texans, Slayton averaged 31.7 yards per catch, a career-high for a single game. He also had a 54 yard touchdown and finished with three receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown in the 24–16 win.[20] He finished the season with 46 catches for 724 yards and two touchdowns through 16 games and 11 starts.[21]
2023
On March 16, 2023, Slayton signed a two-year contract extension with the Giants.[22] Slayton finished the 2023 season with 50 receptions for 770 yards and four touchdowns.[23]
2024
In Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Slayton had four receptions for 108 yards in the 26–18 loss.[24] In 16 games (13 starts) for the Giants, he recorded 39 receptions for 573 yards and two touchdowns.[25]
2025
On March 10, 2025, Slayton re-signed with the Giants on a three-year, $36 million contract.[26] In 14 appearances (including 12 starts) for New York, Slayton had 37 receptions for 538 yards and one touchdown.[27]
2026
On April 30, 2026, Slayton underwent core-muscle surgery, with the procedure not being expected to affect his availability for training camp.[28] On September 7, 2026, Slayton was released by the Giants.[29]
Career statistics
NFL
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2019 | NYG | 14 | 9 | 48 | 740 | 15.4 | 55 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | NYG | 16 | 15 | 50 | 751 | 15.0 | 41 | 3 | 2 | −1 | −0.5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | NYG | 13 | 5 | 26 | 339 | 13.0 | 42 | 2 | 1 | −13 | −13.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | NYG | 16 | 11 | 46 | 724 | 15.7 | 55 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 | NYG | 17 | 13 | 50 | 770 | 15.4 | 80 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | NYG | 16 | 13 | 39 | 573 | 14.7 | 43 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | NYG | 14 | 12 | 37 | 538 | 14.5 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 106 | 78 | 296 | 4,435 | 15.0 | 80 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 0.6 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 4 | |
Postseason
College
Personal life
Slayton has been in a relationship with heptathlete Anna Hall since November 2024, and they were engaged on November 15, 2025.[30] Hall and Slayton got married at the Oheka Castle in Long Island, New York on April 11, 2026.[31]
Slayton’s devotion to community service has earned him the 2025 Alan Page Community Service Award. Through his Left-Hand Right-Hand (LHRH) Foundation, Slayton has personally donated more than $150,000 to support police-community relations, academic mentorship and youth programs in his hometown of Atlanta, and NYPD sponsored programs in Far Rockaway, Harlem and the Bronx.[32]
