You have to evaluate Mike White a little differently than most quarterbacks who are a part of this year’s draft.
The Western Kentucky signal-caller was at the helm of an offense that wasn’t able to consistently run the ball. And White spent much of the season behind an offensive line that was hit hard by injury. Consider the fact that at one point late in the year, the Hilltoppers’ running game was averaging just 69.4 rushing yards per contest, the worst in the FBS. Then, there was the fact they allowed 47 sacks, the most in Conference USA last season. (They had three new starters along the line, and including a true freshman at right tackle.)
Through it all, White persevered, and finished his senior season at Western Kentucky with a 66 percent completion rate, 4,177 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Overall, in his two years with the Hilltoppers (after transferring from South Florida), he had a 66 percent completion rate, 8,540 passing yards, and an astounding 63 touchdowns and 15 picks.
“He played his butt off,” Western Kentucky coach Mike Sanford said of White and his effort this past season.
That ability to continue to play at a high level despite those issues is one reason why White has managed to catch the eye of several talent evaluators when it comes to this year’s draft class. And while he might not be in the same group as Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen -- guys who are expected to go on the first night -- Sanford believes White would still make a team in search of a quality quarterback pretty happy.
“He’s an incredible thrower of the football,” Sanford said of White, considered a mid-round pick at this point in the pre-draft process. “His accuracy, arm strength and his ability to see those open windows and to put the ball in there is really, really good.
“Another thing that stands out about Mike is his ability to feel coverages and make the right decisions. He has a great feel for the passing game; when it comes to things like getting to his fourth and fifth read when it comes to multiple crosser, it’s just really impressive.”
Sanford, who was an offensive assistant at Stanford and Notre Dame and had the chance to work with future NFL quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, had just one year as White's head coach. But he considers the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder pro ready, and someone who would work in New England.
“I think Mike would benefit greatly from going to an organization like New England,” Sanford said. “He’s going to be able to learn from a guy like (Tom) Brady, and he’ll also get a great football structure while he’s there. I am fully confident that if the pieces around him are good, he’ll be elite.”
Oh, and there’s another reason why the Patriots should look extra hard at White.
“The guy is obsessed with Brady,” Sanford said with a laugh.
"By no means am I trying to compare myself to him, but I do
like to model my game after Tom Brady. What I love about his game
is how he beats a defense before the ball is even snapped." - Western Kentucky QB Mike White@MW_XIV @WKUFootball pic.twitter.com/dOohKl1Uwd
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) February 21, 2018
