NFL Draft: Arizona State Prepared for Strong Run of Day 3 Talent
When it came to talent outside of the first round, Arizona State running back Rachaad White was one of the darlings of the NFL draft.
White's sly ability to evade defenders on a moment's notice mixed with his pristine hands out of the backfield made him a strong candidate to be drafted early out of this year's group of running backs.
White was the fourth running back off the board, following Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III and James Cook. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at pick No. 91.
No running back went in the first round for the first time since 2014.
Here's what Pewter Report's Matt Matera said about the selection:
"White has lots of potential as a receiving back (43 catches for 456 yards last year), flashing brilliance in space with his creativity. But he’s a running back, not a wide receiver. To get on the field as a third-down back, White’s pass protection will need to improve plenty.
"Right now, feature back work seems like a distant goal for the 23-year-old, despite rushing for 1,000 yards and 15 TDs last year. However, the Bucs may feel like they have two backs they can lean on for carries in Leonard Fournette and Ke’Shawn Vaughn. Perhaps that makes them more inclined to find a passing downs difference-maker in the draft."
White had a strong amount of interest throughout the draft process, and it's no surprise he was the first Sun Devil off the board.
However, with just one day left in the draft, ASU is preparing to see a large amount of players head to the next level.
Offensive linemen Kellen Diesch and Dohnovan West were strong candidates to potentially land in the third round. Now, as teams prepare for rounds 4-7, both are favored to be taken sooner rather than later.
The Athletic listed Diesch and West in its list of best available players heading into today.
Arizona State cornerback Jack Jones gathered a considerable amount of hype thanks to his athleticism. Character concerns dating back to his past at USC have followed him all the way up to interviews at the Combine, yet teams would be more than happy to take a flyer on Jones at this point in the process with his high upside.
Fellow defensive back Chase Lucas was considered to be a first-round prospect after an impressive freshman campaign at ASU. However, his play slowly dipped over the course of his career as a Sun Devil, as Lucas now finds himself with a best-case scenario of being taken in the fifth round.
Other guys such as defensive lineman Tyler Johnson, tight end Curtis Hodges, linebacker Darien Butler and D.J. Davidson have cloudy projections in where they may land.
Should any of the above not be drafted, there would be expectations of them (and punter Logan Tyler) signing a deal as an undrafted free agent.
The Sun Devils graduated a significant amount of talent from last season, as a handful of former Arizona State players are on the doorstep of achieving their dreams and advancing ASU representation further into the league.