With Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota not attending the 2015 NFL draft, the NFL needs some of the other big-name prospects to show up for the first non-New York draft show since 1965. In that regard, the NFL can count on former West Virginia receiver Kevin White.
White told PFT this week that he’ll be backstage at the draft when his name is called. He also may need a tissue. Or two. Or more.
“I think I’m going to be very emotional, a lot of tears, just because it has been a very long journey for me,” White said. “A lot of the guys go straight out of high school to Division One. I had to go to junior college and even when I was at junior college, I had to miss a season. It’s been a long journey. My junior year wasn’t great. I had a lot of nicks and bruises and we had a losing season. It’s been a long journey for me, a lot of pressure on me to kind of do what I have to do to make it. It’s not very common for a guy like me to make it so come draft day, I’m going to be very emotional.”
While it’s a given White will hear his name early in round one, he hasn’t been hearing from many teams.
“When I was training, a lot of teams would call but after the Combine, not too many teams called me,” White said. “I haven’t been getting a lot of interest or phone calls or a lot of team meetings or workouts. I’m not sure what the deal is. Like I said, I am going to continue to train and do what I have to do and hopefully everything will pay off. . . .
“Maybe they’ve seen it all and heard it all so maybe I’m in the clear,” White added. “Until they call or I have a set workout schedule, I’m just going to continue to do what I have to do and wherever I do go, if I have a workout or prior workout, I’ll enjoy it and try to make the most out of it.”
The full interview with Kevin White appears below. Among other things, he identifies a couple of NFL receivers who remind White of himself (one of whom wears No. 11), and he talks about his NFL mentor (a different guy who also wears No. 11).