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Kevin White catches a pass for a touchdown in this 2014 game against Oklahoma at Milan Puskar Stadium.
All-Pro Photography Dale Sparks photo
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There is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to the NFL draft, but West Virginia’s Kevin White is about as close as it gets.
White has the body of work (109 catches for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns in the Big 12 Conference in 2014), the body type (6-foot-3 inches, 215 pounds and 9 ¼-inch hands) and the measurables (4.35 40-yard dash, 36 ½-inch vertical jump) to get a pass into the green room, which is where he will be on Thursday night in Chicago when the
draft begins at 8 p.m.
White is universally considered a top-10 talent, with some slotting him as high as No. 4 overall where the Oakland Raiders are picking this year.
Others have White pegged to Chicago at No. 7, to Minnesota at No. 11,
to Cleveland at No. 12 or to New Orleans at No. 13.
“Chicago is sitting at seven and from my perspective, they’re obviously hoping both quarterbacks (Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota) go so that they can get the highest position player available on their board, which should either be a wide receiver or the highest-ranking defensive player on their board, because they need help everywhere on defense,” said
NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock.
“My golden rule in the first round, especially at the top end of the first round, is you better get yourself a good football player,” added Mayock. “The boom or bust guys, for me, would not be even in play at No. 3, 5 or 7.”
The Mountaineers have
had a run of first-round guys recently with wide receiver Tavon Austin going No. 8 to St. Louis in 2013, outside linebacker Bruce Irvin going No. 15 to Seattle in 2012 and Adam Jones going No. 6 to Tennessee in 2005, but all three had to answer questions about their size and ability to transfer their collegiate success to the pro ranks.
That’s not the case with White, especially after his eye-opening performance at the NFL Combine when he ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash time.
In reality, White may be the closest thing to a sure thing for a West Virginia player since linebacker Darryl Talley was taken No. 39 overall in the 1983 draft. Talley’s draft class that year is considered one of the strongest in NFL history, with 41 Pro Bowl players and seven Hall of Famers (to date) making up that group of entrants.
It remains to be seen if this year’s class can reach that lofty status, but the consensus among those who rate players is that this year’s group of wide receivers is exceptional, with White and Alabama’s Amari Cooper at the top of the list.
“You can flip a coin between those two guys,” said
Ken Herock, former Mountaineer player and long-time NFL general manager who operates a draft consultation service for top prospects.
Cooper was the Biletnikoff Award winner and a Heisman Trophy finalist after catching 127 passes for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns for Alabama. Cooper and White are rated one and two by everyone, with Mayock giving the overall edge to White based on his long-term potential.
Former Mountaineer and NFL tight end
Anthony Becht, who does college football analysis for ESPN and commentary for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Radio Network, certainly likes what White has to offer.
“Kevin has excellent size, strong body frame, attacks the football with his hands, is always aggressive after the catch and high-points the ball well,” he said. “He has very good body control, has top-notch character and carries himself with a business-man mentality.”
The consensus is that Cooper is the more finished product of the two and is more likely to be productive right away, where White is considered the more intriguing prospect with the greater upside.
And that, of course, could play a big role in where White ultimately ends up.
“I have Cooper slightly ahead of Kevin because I believe Amari is polished in all phases right now,” said Becht. “What you see is what you get. With Kevin, he’s still growing as a wide receiver. I don’t think he has maxed out yet because he is still raw in some areas with more room to grow, which is scary when you think about it.”
White is frequently compared to Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Atlanta’s Julio Jones based on their body types and athletic ability. That alone will get people’s attention.
Eight Dana Holgorsen-coached WVU players have been drafted since 2012, with at least two going each year during that span. White is expected to become the 11th Mountaineer player picked in the first round since the draft began in 1936, joining Tavon Austin (No. 8, 2013), Bruce Irvin (No. 15, 2012), Adam Jones (No. 6, 2005), Anthony Becht (No. 27, 2000), Renaldo Turnbull (No. 14, 1990), Brian Jozwiak (No. 7, 1986), Dick Leftridge (1966), Chuck Howley (1958), Joe Marconi (1956) and Joe Stydahar (1936).
Besides White, wide receiver Mario Alford, offensive linemen Mark Glowinski and Quinton Spain, defensive end Shaquille Riddick, and running back Dreamius Smith could also hear their names called this weekend.
All three days of the draft will be televised nationally on ESPN and the NFL Network.
