The rookie set to have an impact for the Patriots

Ridley and Vereen will be complimented nicely by rookie James White (Stephan Savoia AP)

This year's draft was one for the future for the Patriots. With the selections of Jimmy Garoppolo, Byran Stork, Jon Halapio, and Cameron Fleming, most people would agree that their impact will come down the road. Some players like Jeremy Gallon, Jemea Thomas, and Zach Moore will have to prove themselves in camp in order to earn a spot on the roster. Out of all of these rookies, there is one that will likely be asked to contribute right away on offense and special teams, and that's RB James White.

James White (5'10" 205 lbs) was selected 130th overall, in the fourth round out of Wisconsin. According to the Badgers Sports page, White finished his career in Madison as 4th all-time at Wisconsin with 4,015 rushing yards, third all-time at UW in rushing touchdowns (45), tied for the eighth-most in Big Ten history, third all-time at UW in total touchdowns (48), the ninth-most by a Big Ten player. He also set the UW record for career average per rushing attempt at 6.24 yards per carry, the fifth-best mark in Big Ten history, and with 1,052 rushing yards as a freshman and 1,444 as a senior, White became eighth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Very impressive college stats from a prestigious running college.



When draft day came around, scouts and draft analysts kept commenting on his outstanding pass protection skills and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. While slightly undersized, White's versatility will allow him to reach the field in a variety of ways. He returned kicks in college, could run on any down, pick up blitzers, and catch passes out of the backfield and the slot (he started two games in the slot), which is everything the Patriots could ask him to do. Another skill that White has of note, is his ball security. He fumbled only twice in his 743 career carries, which has to have Belichick smiling after Ridley's inconsistency fumbling last year. His quickness and ability to change direction and then burst into the open field will allow him to become an efficient runner, like he does here.







During OTAs, many people were able to see the finesse side of White and his good hands. Doug Kyed of NESN pointed him out to be one of the winners of OTAs due to his display of expertise catching the ball and running routes. These two skills will open a whole new dimension of the playbook now that the Patriots will have White alongside fellow athletic pass catching running back Shane Vereen.

With White, I envision a lot of roles for the young running back. I see some creative options that Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels can draw up that will utilize White's versatile skill set. One such possibility is having a split backfield out of the shotgun with Vereen and White alongside Brady. From this formation Tom can split out one or both of the backs to see what defensive scheme the opponents are running and could force a linebacker to split out if in man. Both backs are skilled pass catchers and would allow Brady the choice to send both out on routes out of the backfield, which could be effective against slower linebackers. Given White's pass protection proficiency, he could also stay in the backfield and pick up loose rushers, something Brady was susceptible to last year.

While some people can argue that Dominique Easley could have the greatest impact, I just don't see him being rushed into the fold early on, which could help his long term productivity. Easley very well could be utilized in a number of spots along the defensive line, but in no circumstance do I see him earning a starting spot over Ninkovich, Kelly, Wilfork, or Jones at this stage in his career. In time Easley will become a factor for the defense, but I just want to dilute my expectations at this point in time until he is fully healthy and ready for a bigger role.

James White will have the opportunity to establish himself in a role on offense that will allow Brady and McDaniels to have an explosive, versatile back that opens up unique and creative options for the offensive playbook. As I have said before, Josh Boyce will likely be the primary kick returner with White also contributing. He may very well be asked to be on several special teams units due to his versatility as well, but only time will tell how much of an impact James White will have on the 2014 New England Patriots.

**Update**
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston also believes that James White will become the impact rookie for the Patriots in his Bold Predictions piece.

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