Jordan WhiteWestern Michigan
Ht. 6-0 Wt. 214
Hands: Jordan White has a tremendous pair of hands. A pure hands catcher that plucks balls out of the air. It’s a rarity for White to allow the football into his body. He is fearless over the middle and hangs onto the football despite vicious contact. He has great in-air body control and attacks the football as well as anyone. He wants it more than the other guy.
Route Running: White understands all the aspects of playing the WR position. He excels at finding openings in zone coverage and creates space between him and the defender as well as anyone not named Justin Blackmon in this draft. He does have a tendency to round off his cuts and will need to shore that up as he doesn’t have the straight-line speed to fall back on.
After the Catch: White has a solid frame at almost 215 pounds so he doesn’t shy away from contact. He does struggle because of a lack of elite burst to find a ton of yards after the catch. His size and thick lower body make him a tough tackle in the open field.
Athleticism: This is where the Greg Jennings comparisons stop. Anytime you attend the same small school as an productive NFL receiver did you draw comparisons. White doesn’t possess the athleticism thatJennings has. His timed speed won’t draw any wows and he doesn’t have the burst off the line of scrimmage that Jennings has. I do think that he’s fast enough and has enough quickness to be an effective athlete at the position in the NFL. Not elite by any means but effective.
Bottom Line: My glowing report on White is matched only by my feeling that he will be a good NFL receiver. I think he compares favorably to Jordy Nelson of the Packers and could be effective in a similar role in the NFL. He has had some injury issues (two torn ACL’s) that could make him drop lower than I think he should go. A solid No. 2 option for a team in need of a highly productive and reliable catcher of the football.
Draft Projection: Most have White in the 4th-5th round range but I like him as late second round prospect.
