UNLV’s Ricky White III Poised To End Program’s 15-Year NFL Draft Drought

The 2025 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. It takes place in just over a week, starting next Thursday, April 24, and concluding on Saturday. The event will take place at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A UNLV Rebels football player has not heard their name called at the NFL Draft since 2010, when quarterback Derek Carr was drafted by the then-Oakland Raiders. We expect that to change this year with wide receiver Ricky White III and linebacker Jackson Woodard both likely to be selected at some point on Day 3.

The UNLV football program has taken major steps forward in recent years and, because of that, hosted their first ever Pro Day this year. The headliners who brought the most attention to the event were White III and Woodard, however, there were other players working out for the scouts in attendance, such as quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams and tight end Kaleo Ballungay. Nevertheless, White III is the man that we anticipate breaking UNLV's drought when it comes to having a player drafted into the NFL.

UNLV WR Ricky White just ran a 4.44 40 at his Pro Day

He was 4.61 at the combine.

Big improvement pic.twitter.com/XOFxLay1sk
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) March 24, 2025

White has shown off impressive skills as a slot receiver and elite special teams abilities. He was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year last season and was one of the most productive wideouts in Rebels history. At the team’s Pro Day, White III spoke about this moment and his opportunity to be an NFL player. “It's a blessing," White III said. "I’m thankful that they allowed me to put the work in, make them happy, make myself happy, showcase the work I put in leading up to this point in front of them. I’m thankful they’re here."

His father Ricky White Jr was also in attendance and spoke about what this means to him and his son. “It’s a surreal moment," said Ricky White III's dad. "I feel like I’ve been right along on this journey with him. To see him reach his goals and work extremely hard at it, I'm extremely ecstatic to see the process and the end result of all this.”

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