Name: Jacob White
School: Ball State
Position: LB
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 230

Q: What goals did you set and/or accomplish in your final collegiate season?

I don’t like to set tangible goals in terms of winning games and making a certain amount of tackles or plays  on the field. I like to set weekly goals that have to do with my process as a football player and teammate. I set personal goals to watch a certain amount of film each day and each week and get the rest of the defense to watch film at the stadium as well.  My mentality, is if I prepare well during the week and put myself in the best position to be successful on the field, then all of the statistics will be a byproduct of that preparation. 

Q: What would your coaches and teammates say about the type of player you are?

My coaches and teammates would say that I’m a very passionate player that enjoys all of the extra tasks that go along with playing football such as film, weightlifting, rest, proper diet, and most importantly being a team player. They would also say that I’m OK with being the bad guy in terms of holding other players accountable to a winning standard.  

Q: When you are studying film, what do you focus on to improve your game?

Earlier in the week I try to get a feel for what type of offense we are going against in terms of their strengths. I will watch a full game to get a better flow of the play caller and who gets the ball in certain situations.  In the middle of the week, I would have coach make cut ups of run plays that they had success on and that coach could see the offense running against us.  The focus within our defense with regards to the front 7 was to stop the run so these clips mainly consisted of power, counter, inside zone, outside zone, wham plays, and some other plays that could be more specific to the team we are playing. Finally, later in the week is when I would bring in the ILBs, OLBs, and DL to look at specific tendencies of players and keys that the opponent could give away that could put our defense in a better position to predict a play. 

Q: What separates you from the other pro prospects at your position?

My mind and willingness to win no matter what it takes is something that would separate myself from other players in my position.  It just matters more to me.  That statement isn’t lip service. I encourage scouts to talk to people that I’ve played with or have coached me and they would say the same thing. In addition, I want to be a coach someday so understanding the game at the highest level to me is actually a long-term career investment. 

Q: What is your offseason plan to train and prepare for professional opportunities?

I am currently training with Yo Murphy in Tampa. 

Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?

I am a highly skilled tackler that can stop the run at an elite level. I can also cover TEs and RBs. In addition, I understand defenses and coverages very well as I was the signal caller as a Mike and captain for Ball State for 3 Years.  What I love most about football is being apart of a team and making new relationships in the pursuit of winning. Finally, I am an asset to all the special teams units and especially fearless when running down on kickoff. 

Q: What is your final pitch to the NFL or any other pro leagues?

My mental and physical versatility could be an asset to a team. I was recruited as a fullback and played 3 sports in high school for all 4 years (football, baseball, basketball).  I was the backup long snapper this past year as well. A team should invest in me because of my proven leadership skills, versatility, passion for the game and the answers to all of the above questions. 

-1st Team ALL-MAC (2019)
-3rd Team ALL-MAC (2018)
-3 Year Captain 
-2019 Defensive Player of the Year 
-Dave McClain Leadership Award (2017,2019)
-Academic All-MAC (2016,2019)