The hometown fans hooted and high-fived over Chicago’s selection with the No. 7 overall pick. And Kevin White flashed a first-round smile that seemingly stretched to Lake Michigan, gleefully relishing his new home.
The AP second-team All-American became West Virginia’s highest-selected player since 2006 and its highest-selected receiver ever—a stunning rise from the junior college kid of two years ago who held only a few FBS offers.
Though he didn’t get his wish of being the first receiver drafted—Alabama’s Amari Cooper went to the Raiders at No. 4—not an iota of disappointment showed as White shared an extended hug with Roger Goodell before dangling a Bears jersey for the cameras. Next step: Helping rejuvenate a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010.
“I’m ready to turn this city around,” White told ESPN. “I’m planning on doing big things. Hopefully I’ll be a star.”
A breakout senior season made the 6-foot-3 White a Biletnikoff finalist before a surprising 4.35 burst in the combine’s 40-yard dash made him a bona-fide freak. Suddenly scouts and analysts debated whether White should surpass Cooper on draft boards.
Their careers may be inexorably linked for years to come, yet there was a more stirring comparison White may most remember from Thursday night.
“He’s like Larry Fitzgerald snatching the ball out of the air,” raved NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin. “And the kid has something special that Larry Fitzgerald just was not blessed with—he has speed. Boy, he can turn into a Julio Jones.”
Ex-Lions coach Steve Mariucci predicted White could make life easier for embattled Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, whose 18 interceptions topped the NFL last season, whose 6.8 yards-per-attempt didn’t crack the top 25.
“(White) had 109 catches at West Virginia and 40 were screens—bubble screens, quick screens. college screens,” Mariucci said. “So you can get him the ball early, put it away in those big arms of his and just let him go.”
After trading away veteran Brandon Marshall in March, the Bears were seeking a playmaker to pair with 24-year-old Alshon Jefferey, who has averaged 87 catches ands 1,327 yards the past two seasons. White fit that bill, according to Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who praised the receiver’s fire on film and even in workouts.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled right now,” Pace told the Chicago Tribune. “This guy’s dynamic, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s ultra-competitive. If I could stress one word for him, he’s competitive. You see it after the catch. You see it in the way he attacks the ball in the air.
“This guy’s competitive as a blocker. You’ll see him drive guys out of bounds. A lot of receivers don’t do that. This is a competitive, feisty, strong player.”
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, who can thank former assistants Jake Spavital and Shannon Dawson for finding White and luring him to Morgantown, attended the draft. Following Michael Crabtree, Justin Blackmon and Tavon Austin, White became the fourth Holgorsen-coached receiver to become a top-10 pick.
“This is a great night for not only Kevin but for the West Virginia football program,” Holgorsen said. “Kevin has worked extremely hard and dedicated himself to become one of the best receivers in the country and a first-round NFL draft pick. I continue to say that he has a huge upside and will have a great NFL career.”
NOTES: The only other Big 12 player selected among the 32 first-round picks was Texas defensive lineman Malcom Brown, who ended the night by going to New England. … The ACC and Pac-12 led all conferences with nine first-round picks each, followed by the SEC (seven) and the Big Ten (three). … Friday’s portion of the draft includes the second and third rounds, starting at 7 p.m. Rounds 4-7 beginning at noon.