New England Patriots rumors: James White to play more than 20 percent of snaps at running back?
By Jack Crosby
The New England Patriots lost LeGarrette Blount this offseason to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they may have found themselves one of the steals in the fourth round of the most recent NFL Draft when they picked up Wisconsin running back James White, who could be set to make an impact earlier than some expected.
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According to Mike Reiss, who covers the Patriots over at ESPN, the Badgers’ product could see more than 20 percent of the offensive snaps this upcoming season.
"Most of the draft buzz was understandably about top picks Dominique Easley (first round, 29th overall) andJimmy Garoppolo (second round, 62nd overall). But White, the fourth-round pick from Wisconsin, shouldn’t be overlooked at running back. White had a solid spring minicamp “season”, and his combination of production as a rusher and receiver appears to be an ideal fit for a Patriots offense that values a diverse skill set. We’ll define “early impact” this way: White will play more than 20 percent of the offensive snaps this season."
As Reiss stated in that piece, White brings something to the table that the Patriots love out of all the running backs they’ve had during the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era: Versatility. He’s not only effective being handed the ball, but he can be just as dangerous as a receiver, causing a lot of headaches for opposing defenses.
Last season at Wisconsin, White rushed for 1.444 yards on 221 carries and caught 39 balls out of the backfield for an additional 300 yards.