Seahawks GM Compares Former UNLV Star Ricky White III To NFL Great Donald Driver

In the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks made wide receiver and special-teams ace Ricky White III the first UNLV Rebels football player selected in the NFL Draft since 2010. He was a breakout receiver for the Rebels and was such an elite performer on special teams that he was named the 2024 Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year.

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍 - 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙄𝙄𝙄 🫡 pic.twitter.com/XPnXqchwTE
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) December 3, 2024

Through the entire draft season, we spoke about how, while he is a very capable wide receiver, it was his special teams that NFL teams would focus on. That, despite a terrible 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, he would still be drafted, and once he was drafted, he was a lock to make the team's 53-man roster thanks to his special-teams acumen. It now seems that is exactly the case, according to his general manager up in Seattle.

Seahawks GM John Schneider spoke about White's special-teams abilities and how excited his coaches were to have him in Seattle because of it. He even compared him to a former superstar wideout from his time with the Green Bay Packers:

“Ricky, the special teams part, Jay (Harbaugh) and Fitz (Devin Fitzsimmons) are really excited about him. Josh (Bynes), all those guys. He’s blocked four punts. Personally he kind of reminded me of Donald Driver, they (Packers) drafted him in the sixth round. He was one of the better special teams players in the league before he completely established himself as our number one receiver. That’s kind of who he reminded me of. He’s tough. He’s kind of got that gangly feel to him, too.”

White has proven he can do it all. He can block kicks and punts, is a great jammer, and can play in the return game. It's what he can do on special teams that will allow him to show what he can do and earn himself an opportunity at wide receiver.

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