Cody

White

Zierlein gives White a grade of 5.40, which is the grade of a priority free agent in his book. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound wideout caught 66 passes for 922 yards and six touchdowns last year, but never quite reached an elite level for the Spartans. Zierlein does see some positives here, including his ability to make catches in traffic and make catches off the turf. " There are clearly ball skills that work in his favor, but the lack of functional speed and quickness too often turn him into a coverage magnet,” Zierlein writes. “Even if he tests well, it might be a hard sell since plus athletic traits don’t show up often enough on tape.”

White (6'3/215) appeared in all 13 of Michigan State’s games this season, catching 66 passes for 922 yards and six touchdowns. He became an even more important target in the passing game during the second half of the season, as the Spartans were hit hard by injuries at the skill positions. White is capable of returning punts, accumulating 40 yards on seven returns in Michigan State’s first four games. He’s likely to be a Day 3 selection in April’s draft.

After catching no more than five passes in any of his first eight games of the season, White (6'3/215) finished the 2019 campaign in solid form. Over his last five outings the junior wide receiver caught 36 passes after catching a total of 30 in the first eight. White finishes the season with 66 receptions for 922 yards and six touchdowns, with half of those scores coming in Michigan State’s November 23 win over Rutgers. He’ll have a decision to make with the NFL Draft entry deadline a couple weeks away, with Pro Football Network draft analyst Tony Pauline giving him a sixth-round grade back in August. Should White enter he’s likely looking at being a Day 3 selection or UDFA, but he would be a dependable target for whoever wins Michigan State’s quarterback job if he were to return in 2020.

Through the first eight games of the season White (6'3/215) never topped more than five receptions or 70 yards in any game. However he has bested those marks in each of the past three games, posting 24 catches for 342 yards total. White has taken over as the primary option in the MSU passing game since Darrell Stewart injured his leg October 26th against Penn State and will look to keep rolling next Saturday when Michigan State takes on a sputtering Maryland.

No other Michigan State player even came close to White’s performance. His 128 yards made up for just over half of the team’s 251 total passing yards. The game was also a bit of a breakout for the junior, as it was his first 100-yard game of the season. White (6'3/215) will need another strong outing next week against Michigan.

White caught five passes for 39 yards in last week’s loss to Arizona State. He should be good to go for the Spartans in the crucial contest with the Wildcats, but Darrell Stewart has clearly established himself as Brian Lewerke’s top target in this passing offense.

Charboneau also predicts that White will consider going to the NFL next year. He had a disappointing sophomore season, but he posted a 42-555-2 line as a freshman, and the 6-foot-3, 218-pound wideout has the size/speed combo to be a very effective wideout in the Big Ten -- and potentially the NFL. If White plays to his potential, Michigan State is going to be very formidable on offense in 2019.

White (6'3/210) had a forgettable season in 2018 in part to injuries and poor offensive play, but there’s hope that White and the offense can rebound with quarterback Brian Lewerke returning for his final season. As a sophomore last year, White posted a 42-555-2 receiving line across nine games, so reaching 60 receptions is not out of the question this year. Some other receivers in the mix for the Spartans are Darnell Stewart (slot) and Jalen Nailor.

White missed time with a broken hand this season, but the sophomore was able to close out the 2018 season on a strong note, especially against Ohio State and in today’s bowl game. The Spartans offense should take a step forward in 2019 -- there’s nowhere else but up -- and White should be a beneficiary. If White has a healthy season next year, expect him to improve on this year’s 42-555-2 receiving line.

The Spartans offense was utterly incompetent on Saturday -- they managed just two field goals on the afternoon -- but White somehow managed to rise above the mediocrity to post a nice game. This was the sophomore’s second game back after missing over a month due to a broken hand sustained at the end of September. He will try for another sharp performance when MSU takes on Nebraska next weekend.