Former KC high school star is now Tom Brady’s teammate after being drafted by Tampa Bay
Running back Raachad White’s dream came true Friday when he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but some may have doubted he’d ever make it to the NFL.
Although he was an All-State receiver/running back at Kansas City’s Center High School, White was a zero-star recruit and committed to Division II Nebraska-Kearney in 2017. As the Buccaneers’ website noted, White then transferred to Mt. San Antonio Community College.
That school is located west of Los Angeles. While there, White held a number of jobs, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr reported, including one at a recycling plant, administering food stamps and working security at the Coachella music festival.
“He said he would wake up at 4 a.m. on weekends during the off-season and crawl into Bob’s furniture warehouse and set up and load beds for hours,” Orr wrote.
White turned heads at Mt. San Antonio and transferred to Arizona State. In his senior season last year with the Sun Devils, he rushed for 1,006 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also caught 43 passes for 456 yards.
The Buccaneers selected the 6-foot-2, 210-pound White with the 91st overall pick in the third round.
His next job will find him lined up in the backfield behind future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.
“Honestly, I’m just grateful. I’m very appreciative of my journey that I took,” White told Tampa Bay reporters. “I mean, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s been a long way. But you know, I feel like God does everything. Everything happens for a reason and God led me on that journey, he led me to here today. Honestly, I would just say it’s a blessing and a dream come true.”
White said one player he based his game on as a kid is former Chiefs star Jamaal Charles. The Buccaneers play the Chiefs this fall, so White will have a chance to play against the team he once cheered for in Kansas City.
He is eager to show Tampa Bay what he can do.
“You guys got a bunch of guys in the building that already work hard,” he said, “so I feel like with me, you just added another one.
“A guy that’s very humble and hungry. ... I feel like I bring just a lot of good playmaking, catching the ball out of the backfield, really just doing my job. Just doing the things in my job to help the team win.”
