Devy Diamonds: Ricky White, Wide Receiver, UNLV
Welcome to Devy Diamonds: White was a three-star prospect of Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia. He had offers from Michigan State, Kansas, Georgia State, Appalachian State, and Georgia Tech. However, a few days after his first and only official visit to Michigan State he committed to the Spartans. In June of 2020 he would officially enroll at Michigan State. The following year in December of 2021 White would enter the transfer portal. In January of 2022 he would transfer to UNLV.
In his first and only year at Michigan State White showed his big play ability. He only caught ten of his 21 targets, but he averaged 22.3 yards per reception (223 yards). Plus, of his ten receptions he had one touchdown. The downfall is he showed some lack of concentration through the catch by having three dropped passes.
During his first year at UNLV, he made an immediate impact. His catch rate would go up to 63.8%, or 51 receptions of 80 targets. However, his yards per reception went down by ten full yards. White had 622 receiving yards this season with four touchdowns. The bright side, more than 50% of his yards came from after the catch. On the other hand, once again, he continued to have dropped passes. This season, White had nine dropped passes. Plus, he only caught four of 15 contested catches.
His junior season was his breakout season. This year he saw a massive target increase. White had caught 88 of 135 targets, or 65.2% of his targets were caught. He averaged 16.9 yards per reception which translated to 1,487 receiving yards. Additionally, White doubled his touchdowns with eight. He continued to show his playmaking abilities after the catch. This season he had 577 yards after the catch. White is more of a field stretcher, big play type of receiver. However, he continued to struggle with drops. White had five dropped passes this season. Plus, he caught nine of 19 contested catches which led into five interceptions when targeted.
White has played in all eight games for UNLV as their leading wide receiver. He is on pace to have 110 targets, 75 receptions, and 993 receiving yards this season. All would be a downgrade from his previous season. Perhaps the quarterback change has affected White’s ability to produce similarly to last season. Regardless, White has built off his ability to find the end zone. He leads the entire offense with nine total touchdowns, excluding the quarterback. Once again, drops continue to be an issue for White. This season alone, White has five drops with four games left to play. White is the UNLV offense. He currently averages 13.2 yards per reception. White is not afraid to show his big play ability. However, his average depth of target is 11.4. This means that although White stretches the ball he is not getting many more yards after he makes the catch. Regardless, he is the only bright spot on the UNLV offense. White should continue to be the team’s top receiver, and he will look to build his draft stock over the final four weeks.
Strengths:
- Explosive Speed. White has elite speed that allows him to create separation quickly, making him a deep threat. His speed forces defenses to respect his vertical ability.
- Field Awareness. His awareness helps him find soft spots in zone coverage and position himself to make big plays.
- Playmaking After the Catch. White excels at gaining yards after the catch, using his agility and speed to evade defenders. His ability to turn short passes into big gains makes him a threat and valuable weapon for moving the chains.
- Body Control. His body control is excellent, allowing him to adjust to difficult throws and make catches along the sideline. This skill makes him effective in tight coverage, as he can shift his body to get his hands on the ball.
- Versatility. White has shown he can play both outside and in the slot, however, he does excel outside. His flexibility allows him to be an offensive threat that can stretch the field and make an impact from all over the field.
- Route Precision. White runs sharp routes, well-defined routes, which makes him difficult for defenders to cover in man-to-man situations. His cuts along with his speed are reasons why he can consistently create separation.
Areas of Improvement
- Lack of Physicality. White’s smaller frame limits his ability to win physical battles with defenders, especially against press coverage. His lack of physical strength can make it challenging to release cleanly off the line, impacting his timing with the quarterback.
- Inconsistent Catch Radius. While White has excellent body control, his catch radius is somewhat limited due to his size. He struggles with high or wide throws, which could impact his game at an NFL level.
- Reliance on Speed Over Technique. White tends to rely heavily on his speed to create separation, sometimes avoiding his technique in his routes. This can make him more predictable to defenses, as they anticipate his tendency to go deep rather than using more varied, polished route-running techniques.
- Blocking Skills. White struggles in run-blocking situations, partly due to his size and lack of physicality. Improving his blocking ability will be essential if he wants to be a complete receiver and contribute effectively on running plays.
Draft Stock: Eligible 2025
Consensus Projected Draft Capital: Day Three Prospect
Personal Projected Draft Capital: Day Three Prospect
Ideal Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams may look to refresh their receiving corps as Cooper Kupp ages and faces recurrent injury struggles. With Kupp’s reliability and durability in question, the Rams need a younger playmaker to carry the receiving load alongside emerging star Puka Nacua. White’s ability to stretch the field would add an exciting dimension to the Rams’ offense and complement Nacua’s precise route-running skills. While Nacua is effective across various route types and positions, White’s speed would force opposing defenses to stay deep. This could open up mid-range and short-yardage opportunities for Nacua, Kupp, and other Rams receiver. White’s speed and big-play potential would be a valuable addition to a Rams offense that has lacked consistent explosiveness downfield. This combination of receivers would keep defenses guessing, creating opportunities for quarterback Matthew Stafford (or his eventual successor) to exploit mismatches.
Adding White would not only make the Rams offense more versatile but also more sustainable for the long term. His playmaking ability would inject youth and energy into the Rams’ offense, helping bridge the gap as Kupps’ role eventually diminishes due to age or injury. White’s ability to stretch the field and keep defenses honest would serve as a foundation for a balanced offensive attack. This would allow the Rams to maximize their assets in the passing game. Plus, when the field stretches with receivers like White it opens up running lanes too. By pairing him with a multifaceted route runner like Nacua, the Rams would have a complementary duo that can challenge defenses in multiple ways. The addition of White would bring a well-rounded, explosive element back to their offense as they prepare to once again rule the NFC West.
Fantasy Impact
White has shown tremendous potential for fantasy football as the college level, where he thrives as the top option in his team’s passing game. His consistent target share at UNLV guarantees opportunities to make plays. Plus, his big play ability enables him to accumulate yards quickly. With his speed and ability for creating separation, White is a deep-threat asset capable of turning any catch into a substantial gain. For college fantasy ,White’s production is reliable due to his prominent role in the offense.
At the NFL level, White projects as a high-upside, “boom-or-bust” receiver early in his career, likely filling a WR3 role due to his field-stretching ability. His route-running needs refinement to thrive against NFL defenses. However, his speed and playmaking skills allow him to make big gains on deep balls and broken plays, contributing valuable fantasy points even in limited roles. As White improves his route tree and gains experience, he has the potential to become a more dependable target for his quarterback. This could elevate him into a low-end WR2. Fantasy managers should watch White’s progression closely, as his development could turn him into a reliable, high-ceiling option for any fantasy roster. In leagues that reward big plays and yards after the catch White will thrive.
Thank you for checking out Devy Diamonds: Ricky White. Follow @TheFFUniverse on X to stay tuned for future Devy Diamonds, our rankings, and much more fantasy football insight to help you stay ahead of your leagues, and check out our Rankings Page. Also, check out the full video breakdown on The Fantasy Football Universe YouTube Channel.
