Frank Darby

Frank Darby's Biography

Frank Darby is an outstanding American football player, born on September 8, 1997. He’s established himself as a prolific wide receiver since his formative years, showing noteworthy performance during his high school and college football years. Currently, he’s in the free agent market, offering his valuable services and experience to a deserving team.

Darby was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he attended Lincoln High School. Ever passionate about football, his talent in the sport was evident even at a young age. In his senior year in 2016, his exceptional skill as a wide receiver became conspicuously prominent. He had 35 receptions totalling 957 yards and 10 touchdowns under his belt on offense, coupled with 27 tackles, an interception, and three forced fumbles on defense. This display of breathtaking performance earned him the first-team All-State honors in his hometown.

Highly sought-after due to his impressive record, Darby was rated a three-star recruit. Initially, he committed to play college football at Iowa but hit a roadblock when he failed to qualify due to a less than satisfactory SAT score. It was a minor setback for the talented athlete. After careful consideration, Darby chose the sunlit fields of Arizona State to continue his football journey, turning down offers from Rutgers and Boston College.

Just like a promising seed needs time to grow into a mighty tree, Darby’s true potential needed nurturing. To facilitate this, he redshirted his true freshman season, an investment that paid off in manifold ways later on. His sophomore year blossomed with an impressive record of 21 catches, 421 yards, and two touchdowns. Continuing on his trajectory of growth, his junior year witnessed him scoring 616 yards and eight touchdowns out of 31 passes.

However, the ever-shifting tides of life came in full force when, during his senior year, Darby had to face a difficult phase. An injury restricted him to participate only in two of the Sun Devils’ four games in the COVID-19 abbreviated Pac-12 Conference season. Despite the setback, he managed to catch six passes tallying to 46 yards and a touchdown. His college career culminated on a satisfying note, where he had recorded an impressive 1,317 receiving yards on 67 receptions with 13 touchdowns.

Upon leaving Arizona State, Darby opened a new and exciting chapter of his life. He was picked by Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round as the 187th pick in the 2021 NFL draft. On June 15, 2021, Darby inked his four-year rookie contract with the Falcons. He made his dazzling NFL debut on special teams in Week 5 against the New York Jets. His skill prowess kept bounding as he had his maiden career reception on November 14, 2021, catching a 14-yard pass from Josh Rosen in a game deflation against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10.

However, his journey wasn’t devoid of trials and tribulations. On August 30, 2022, he was waived by the Falcons but immediately re-signed to the practice squad. Frank persevered and eventually got promoted to the active roster on November 23, 2022. Despite his consistent excellent performances and steady progress, Frank was waived by the Falcons on August 14, 2023. Thankfully, he was re-signed to the Falcons practice squad, but his contract concluded when the team’s season ended on January 7, 2024.

Fate had further plans for Darby when the San Francisco 49ers signed him on a one-year contract on July 27, 2024. Tragically, another injury caused the 49ers to waive him off on August 12. Despite these setbacks, Frank Darby’s journey as a football player continues to unfold. Today, as a free agent, he possesses not only a repertoire of football skills but also a story of determination, perseverance, and resilience. He is ready to bring his extensive expertise to new terrain, looking forward to the myriad challenges and victories that lie in his path.