Former UNLV Rebels Ricky White III and Johnathan Baldwin Face Off In NFL Preseason Week 3

Former UNLV Rebels Ricky White III and Johnathan Baldwin face off when the Green Bay Packers host the Seattle Seahawks in NFL Preseason Week 3.

UNLV Rebels wide receiver Ricky White III (11) catches a touchdown pass in front of Utah State Aggies cornerback Avante Dickerson (17) in the first half at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Two former UNLV Rebels stars will be facing off head-to-head in the NFL Preseason Week 3. On Saturday, August 23, at 4:00 PM EST, the Green Bay Packers will host the Seattle Seahawks on the NFL Network. It will be wide receiver Ricky White III lining up for the Seahawks and defensive back Johnathan Baldwin representing the Packers.

The Seahawks selected White III in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the first Rebels picked in the NFL Draft since 2010. His special teams skills are likely what earned him the honor of being drafted. In 2024, he was named the Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year. So far this preseason, he has been playing both on special teams and as the slot receiver in the second halves of games. We expect him to get plenty of playing time this weekend so that the team can get a long evaluation of him so that they can decide whether they want him on the 53-man roster or not.

The Packers signed Baldwin as an undrafted free agent, but it wasn't your typical UDFA signing. They gave him more guaranteed money than their seventh-round pick and immediately changed his position designation from safety to cornerback. It was clear the Packers had a clear plan for him, and that plan has been on full display during the preseason. He has been deployed all over the field, displaying the versatility he showed off in Las Vegas.

What makes this matchup so interesting is that White III and Baldwin will likely end up being matched up directly against each other for the majority of the second half of this game. White III has been spending most of his time in the slot, while Baldwin has been spending a lot of his time as the slot corner. It will be exciting to see these two competing against each other, trying to carve out a role on their NFL teams and earn a spot on their respective team's 53-man roster.

Baldwin looks like he is locked onto the Packers' opening day roster, while White III is very much on the roster bubble. It would be nice to see White III make some big plays on both offense and special teams and show why he belongs in the NFL. We'd love to see Baldwin play great as well, but maybe not at the expense of his former Rebels teammate in this massively important final preseason game.

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