Of all the players on the field for the Buccaneers last night, rookie running back Rachaad White played like one of the best.
Are you excited about Rachaad White yet? If not, what were you watching? The Buccaneers clearly hit the ball out of the park with their third-round pick.
White finished his first preseason game as the most productive back on the roster for the Bucs and looked the part too.
Seven rushes for 32 yards was the most effective stat for a Buccaneer running back last night by a mile, and White showed a comfort with catching the ball that should make every fan excited to see what he can do with Tom Brady on the field.
White ended the game with 45 yards on nine touches. That isn’t bad at all when you consider the talent he was playing with and the subpar offensive line play.
But let’s get beyond the box score-that never tells the whole story anyway.
The Buccaneer rookie from Arizona State looked the part of a much more mature player. White was an effortless runner than was able to cover ground quickly despite not looking like he was running hard, he showcased balance and poise when getting hit, and his willingness to block in passing sets was a breath of fresh air for a team that has struggled in this area for years.
It might not seem like much based on limited reps, but that game showed everyone two things: White is going to end the trend of Buccaneers running backs struggling in their first years, and a depth chart change could be coming before the end of the preseason.
The Rachaad White that we saw last night could easily be the RB2 for the Bucs in the regular season. Our fingers are crossed that this guy keeps on showing up.
It might be way too soon for the Le’Veon Bell comparisons, but it is fair that some people are starting to see some similarities between their skillsets.
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