The Raiders did not have a ton of draft capital or picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, but they did make a few interesting selections on Day 3 that are worth monitoring.
One of those picks is Zamir White, a running back from Georgia, who they selected early on Day 3. With the Raiders declining the fifth-year option on Josh Jacobs, could White end up being the starter for the 2023 season?
In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he wrote about the current draft buzz surrounding the rookie class of the Raiders. One of the players that has received a lot of positive praise is White. Here is what people around the league had to say about White and his fit with the Raiders:
“Fourth-round running back Zamir White was an interesting selection (No. 122), given the Raiders’ depth at the position with Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, Brandon Bolden and Ameer Abdullah. But with Jacobs and Drake entering the final year of their contracts, the Raiders see a potential long-term solution in White.
Here’s what I’m told they like about his game: “Speed, power, leadership, battling through adversity, comes from a winning program.”
White was never a full-time starter or workhorse back at Georgia, but neither was Jacobs coming out of Alabama. But like Jacobs, White was extremely productive during his time in the SEC. In his last 26 games at Georgia, he scored 23 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards per carry.
The Raiders will likely ask him to be a role player during the 2022 season, but potentially replace Jacobs during the 2023 season. Do the Raiders believe he can be a long-term solution at the running back position? They wouldn’t have traded up in the fourth round to grab White if they didn’t.