Raiders: Ranking all 8 undrafted free agent signings
By Nico Di Fede
1. Javin White, LB/S, UNLV (Raiders)
A versatile ball-hawk, Javin White is the most intriguing undrafted free agent signing the Raiders made, and in my opinion, he has the highest upside.
White started his time at UNLV playing safety (also lined up in the nickel a lot). He played the position for three years until making the switch to linebacker.
Within those three years, he only started in 2017 and 2018. He accumulated six interceptions, five deflections, and five forced fumbles in that span.
That ball production didn’t go down in 2019 despite making the switch to the second level of the defense. He had three interceptions and a career-high 10 deflections. He also had 8.5 tackles for loss so he made some splash plays against the run as well.
I’ve given him a lot of credit for his coverage ability, but while he isn’t the best in the box, he is a solid tackler that is tough to get around in the open field.
At only 211 pounds, he will definitely need to add weight to play linebacker at the next level. It’s likely he will play the backside and be tasked with chasing down running backs from behind and covering tight ends one-on-one, though that is a small frame for even an athletic hybrid linebacker.
It is possible he may play some box safety and nickel, but one of his weaknesses is that his hips are stiff. That is the same problem Tanner Muse has which was the reason for his switch to linebacker in the NFL.
On another note, the most interesting part of the signing doesn’t even have anything to do with his play. White grew up in Oakland graduating from McClymonds High School, and of course, excelled in the Raiders’ new home of Las Vegas with the Rebels.
White has a chance to become a fan-favorite, not just to the longtime fans in the Bay Area, but also to the new fans in Vegas.