January 25, 2017
On the second day of Senior Bowl practices, Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas spoke with Philadelphia media, and as a result, I missed a big chunk of practices today.
However, it appears that the consensus star of the day was LSU CB Tre'Davious White, as many of the media in attendance raved about his play. If we were to handicap the most likely player to be drafted by the Eagles in the first round among this year's Senior Bowl group, it would probably be White. So let's focus on him.
“It’s always good when you wear No. 18 at LSU,” said Douglas, commenting on White. “We’ve had a lot of success here with a guy here who wore the same number in Bennie Logan. So obviously, it takes a lot to earn the right to wear that number at LSU, and he did. He’s a leader. He’s been ultra-productive. He’s tough as nails. He plays nickel. He plays outside. He has ball skills. You can stack his production level up with any corner coming out in this draft.”
At LSU, the number 18 is awarded to "the team member considered to best exemplify what it means to be an LSU football player, on and off the field." As Douglas noted, it was also previously worn by Logan.
At 5'11, White is not a tall corner, which is less of a concern under Jim Schwartz than it was under Chip Kelly and the gang. White is an athletic corner with very good change-of-direction skills who could be a good fit in the Eagles' defense.
White also serves as LSU's primary punt returner who has taken a return to the house in each of the last three years. That skill should be attractive to a team that is probably going to lose Darren Sproles after the 2017 season.
"Corner, next to quarterback, is probably the toughest position in all of sports, in a way," said Douglas. "It takes an elite-level athlete. They're the best athletes in the world. And it takes a high level of confidence. Those guys have to be able to shrug off negative plays and be able to bounce back and pretend they didn't happen. Me and Jim have had a lot of conversations about not only the corner position, but every position."
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has White listed as the 19th best prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft:
White started all four years at cornerback for the Tigers. He has average size and bulk for the position. In my opinion, he is one of the most improved players in this draft class. He made big strides from 2015 to 2016. He is very physical in press coverage and he's shown the ability to match up with tight ends when necessary. He is a fluid athlete, but there are some concerns with his deep speed. In zone coverage, he is outstanding. He has a quick pedal with outstanding route recognition and anticipation. He arrives in time to make plays on the ball or deliver big hits. I love his aggressiveness. He does have a bad habit of getting a little handsy when the ball is in the air; that can be fixed. He is very aggressive and reliable in run support. Overall, White is trending in the right direction and his best football is ahead of him.
That sound like a guy Schwartz might like?
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