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CHICAGO — For Kevin White, he kept coming back in his mind to the Chicago Bears.
Was it coincidence that White shared an agent with Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery, who kept telling the West Virginia wideout his team was trying to draft him?
Was there some cosmic weirdness in the air when former Bears receiver Brandon Marshall, who was shipped out of town this offseason to the New York Jets for nickels on the dollar, befriended White last season?
Whatever was in the air, it all came together in his new professional city when the Bears selected White No. 7 overall. White said he felt all along that was the place he'd end up being taken.
"I'm glad my intuition was right on that," he said.
Coming out of high school, White was unwanted by Division I schools. After a stint at Lackawanna Junior College, he had to beg colleges to take a look at him, sending more than 250 emails to schools, even if they hadn't shown any interest. The schools showing the most interest then: Hawaii, Bowling Green, Texas Tech and WVU.
The Mountaineers were the choice, as much for geography as anything, and he struggled through a 4-8 season in 2013 in which White showed potential with a few big plays but largely was unknown on the college football circuit.
Then 2014 happened. He exploded out of the gates with eight straight 100-yard games and attracted the attention of Larry Fitzgerald on Twitter and Marshall, who somehow got White's cell number ("I have no idea how," he said Thursday) and said, "It's your boy, B-Marsh." They became fast friends.
So, any awkwardness for White considering he's essentially replacing Marshall opposite Jeffery in the Bears' new offense?
"Well, it might be a little weird," White said. "But I am sure he's happy for me. I am just happy to be here and [I'm] not trying to replace anyone. I am just trying to be myself."
Bears fans who filled the stands of the Auditorim Theatre for Thursday's first round flooded White with love after the pick was made, mobbing him for congratulations and begging him for autographs. He was having a hard time getting anywhere in the packed building or communicating with his crew of 50 or more family and friends.*
But White made sure to point out that the fame that comes with being the seventh pick in the draft will not make the humble, charismatic and affable White, who said he took pride in having to work extra hard for everything he's earned as a football player, any different of a person.
"I don't care how many girls will want me now," White said, "I am going to be the same guy."
And if the same guy we saw on the field comes to Chicago, the Bears will have a great passing attack with Jeffery and White, plus Eddie Royal in the slot, Matt Forte out of the backfield and Marquess Wilson as the No. 4 wideout.
“I want to prove a lot of people wrong,” White said. “High school coaches, people that didn’t give me a fair shot. I love this. It’s a dream come true.”
Even Marshall couldn't hide his excitement on Twitter.
Was it coincidence that White shared an agent with Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery, who kept telling the West Virginia wideout his team was trying to draft him?
Was there some cosmic weirdness in the air when former Bears receiver Brandon Marshall, who was shipped out of town this offseason to the New York Jets for nickels on the dollar, befriended White last season?
Whatever was in the air, it all came together in his new professional city when the Bears selected White No. 7 overall. White said he felt all along that was the place he'd end up being taken.
"I'm glad my intuition was right on that," he said.
Coming out of high school, White was unwanted by Division I schools. After a stint at Lackawanna Junior College, he had to beg colleges to take a look at him, sending more than 250 emails to schools, even if they hadn't shown any interest. The schools showing the most interest then: Hawaii, Bowling Green, Texas Tech and WVU.
The Mountaineers were the choice, as much for geography as anything, and he struggled through a 4-8 season in 2013 in which White showed potential with a few big plays but largely was unknown on the college football circuit.
Then 2014 happened. He exploded out of the gates with eight straight 100-yard games and attracted the attention of Larry Fitzgerald on Twitter and Marshall, who somehow got White's cell number ("I have no idea how," he said Thursday) and said, "It's your boy, B-Marsh." They became fast friends.
So, any awkwardness for White considering he's essentially replacing Marshall opposite Jeffery in the Bears' new offense?
"Well, it might be a little weird," White said. "But I am sure he's happy for me. I am just happy to be here and [I'm] not trying to replace anyone. I am just trying to be myself."
Bears fans who filled the stands of the Auditorim Theatre for Thursday's first round flooded White with love after the pick was made, mobbing him for congratulations and begging him for autographs. He was having a hard time getting anywhere in the packed building or communicating with his crew of 50 or more family and friends.*
But White made sure to point out that the fame that comes with being the seventh pick in the draft will not make the humble, charismatic and affable White, who said he took pride in having to work extra hard for everything he's earned as a football player, any different of a person.
"I don't care how many girls will want me now," White said, "I am going to be the same guy."
And if the same guy we saw on the field comes to Chicago, the Bears will have a great passing attack with Jeffery and White, plus Eddie Royal in the slot, Matt Forte out of the backfield and Marquess Wilson as the No. 4 wideout.
“I want to prove a lot of people wrong,” White said. “High school coaches, people that didn’t give me a fair shot. I love this. It’s a dream come true.”
Even Marshall couldn't hide his excitement on Twitter.
Man look how things work out baby bro. #Chicago you have a MONSTER. Follow my baby boy.. . Great… https://t.co/Fb5sLSLlyZ
— Machine Marshall (@BMarshall) May 1, 2015
Strange symmetry for a player in White whose football career to date has been anything but linear.— Machine Marshall (@BMarshall) May 1, 2015
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm