Back in April, UNLV Rebels wide receiver Ricky White III was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He became the first Rebel selected in the NFL Draft since 2010. Since then we have heard nothing but positive things about the reigning Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year.
Both his coaches in Seattle and people around the team have spoken very highly of him both on and off the field. Even drawing comparisons to NFL greats from his coaches like former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver who entered the league as a special teams stud and eventually became a Pro Bowl caliber wideout.
However, not everyone is going to be so positive of a seventh-round selection. The scouting report on the NFL's official website views him as little more than a potential average backup who needs to develop his game, stating:
"Productive inside/outside receiver with good instincts but below-average play strength. He’s too easily knocked around and needs to play with better care for eluding trouble inside the route. White is smooth in space with an easy stride but won’t light it up with separation speed -- though he does have a feel for positioning and adjustments to create late catch space. A lack of size and catch strength will become exacerbated on the pro level, so refining his route-running as a slot option is a must. His lack of traits and explosiveness could overshadow the production and punch his ticket as an average NFL backup."
We strongly disagree with this assessment. There is no reason he can't develop into a productive starting slot receiver in the next level who can make plays if you get him the ball in space. His special teams strengths will earn him playing time this season, but by 2026 he could find himself catching a lot more passes than the people at NFL.com might expect.
