When UNLV took on Fresno State this past season, the Rebels were already up 31-7 at the start of the fourth quarter. But they wanted even more points, so they turned to their best playmaker.
Ricky White III was lined up out wide to the left as UNLV was on Fresno State’s 14-yard line. Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams caught a shotgun snap and immediately threw to White, who ran a hitch route. The Rebels wide receiver had some space to work with as a Fresno State defensive back had given him some cushion, and that proved to be a mistake.
White caught the ball and spun away from the ensuing tackle attempt. He then outran one defender and dove for the pylon before anyone else could get to him.
White, who transferred from Michigan State, emerged as one of the best players in the Group of Five the past couple years. He emphasized how much the Rebels’ coaching staff helped him develop after he transferred to UNLV.
“Those guys helped me tremendously,” he told media at the NFL Combine. “Just put me in situations to thrive and be in situations to get different matchups. Therefore I can show my route-running ability. Growing up in just these previous offseasons, I focus more on my route-running just so I can create some more separation.”
Now White is hoping to separate himself among a loaded group of wide receivers in this year’s NFL Draft class.
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Where Did Ricky White Go In The NFL Draft?
Ricky White was picked by the Seattle Seahawks with the 238th overall pick in the seventh round.
“A dog, that’s No. 1, a dog,” White said when asked what an NFL team would get upon drafting him. “Somebody that will come in and compete on offense and special teams. From Day 1, a leader, very vocal guy, someone that loves to lead by example.”
What Was Ricky White’s 40 Time At The NFL Combine?
Ricky White III ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds at the 2025 NFL Combine. He ranked 38th out of 39 wide receivers there.
He also ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.39 seconds, which was fourth out of eight wideouts. His vertical jump of 36 inches ranked 20th out of 36 in his position group, and his broad jump of 10 feet, 3 inches was 22nd out of 33.
Ricky White’s Height & Weight
Ricky White III was measured at 6-foot-1, 184 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Ricky White’s Stats & Highlights
White transferred to UNLV after two years at Michigan State, and it ended up becoming a good decision. He was a Group of Five All-American, earning G5 Special Teams Player of the Year recognition, and received All-Mountain West accolades multiple times.
White was the first UNLV receiver to conclude two different seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards. He’s second in program history with 218 receptions and is third with 3,143 yards and 23 touchdowns through the air.
“It’s very unique,” White said of UNLV’s offense. “The go-go offense is one of the best offensive schemes in college football. I was put in different situations on the field, outside, slot, boundary, to just get different matchups and just go at everybody, really.”
This past season, White was the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year and made the all-conference first team. He caught 79 passes for 1,041 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns, which ranked seventh in the country. He also blocked four punts, returning one for a touchdown.
In 2023, White put together another All-American season. He set UNLV’s single-season record with 1,314 receiving yards while scoring seven touchdowns on 80 receptions. The year before, he tallied 414 yards and four TDs on 29 catches.
In 2020, White’s first season at Michigan State, he caught 10 passes for 223 yards. He redshirted a year later before becoming a Rebel.
“My time at UNLV was very special for me,” White said. “Over the years, the fans in the community really bought into us winning and becoming a special team. We got a chance to play at Allegiant Stadium. Over the years, like I mentioned, you can see the difference of winning, and it just made more people come up and watch us.”
Where Is Ricky White From?
Ricky White’s hometown is Marietta, Georgia. He played football at Marietta High School before beginning his collegiate career at Michigan State.
Ricky White’s NFL Comparison & 2025 NFL Draft Profile
Ricky White said he emulates his game after Justin Jefferson. Though their styles aren’t a perfect match, there are some similarities.
White’s route-running footwork is elite. He constantly had defensive backs guessing, and they often guessed wrong.
When I was taking notes while watching White’s film, I didn’t realize how many times I wrote the word “elusive.” He has a great spin move, as he showed during that play described earlier in this article. But he has the quickness to dodge tackles in myriad ways.
In 2024, White was 15th in Pro Football Focus’ overall grades of wide receivers who were targeted at least 85 times while ranking 19th in PFF’s pass routes grades. A year before, he was third and fourth in those categories, respectively.
White can play out of the slot, but he primarily lined up out wide. His average depth of target wasn’t high compared to other FBS receivers, nor was his contested catch rate. But it didn’t need to be. He was one of the top wideouts in the country in terms of yards gained after the catch and efficiency.
Last season, he was eighth in the nation with 2.93 yards per route run and was 25th with 423 yards after catch. He also tied for 10th with 51 first downs gained. In 2023, he was second in the FBS with 3.83 yards per route run, ninth with 54 first downs gained, and 10th with 577 yards after catch.
Many prospects say they’re open to playing on special teams in the NFL. But very few have competed in that phase of the game at the level White did in college. Not only could he be an impact player on offense, he can also block and return kicks.
White said he told his coaches he wanted to be on special teams to help UNLV in any way he could.
“It was a mindset for me to go out there, just showcase my talent anytime I want to,” he said. “I feel like I give my team an advantage to win.”
White makes highlight plays and could help an NFL franchise in so many different ways that I think it would be difficult to ignore him on Day 2 of the draft.
