After some early concern from Las Vegas Raiders fans, rookie running back Zamir White is now making waves at training camp in Henderson.
The former Georgia Bulldog was taken in the fourth round back in April. His selection was initially a surprise given the needs at the offensive and defensive lines. However, the pick made much more sense once you understood new head coach Josh McDaniels’ approach to running back. The team also declined Josh Jacobs’ fifth-year option, leading to further speculation that the team was starting to look for a replacement. However, Jacobs and Kenyan Drake figure to be at the top of the rotation this season. Even so, White will surely see plenty of action in 2022.
Rookie RB Zamir White (No. 35) is back out at practice with the #Raiders pic.twitter.com/bGM4xImPj6
— Jesse Merrick (@JesseNews3LV) July 30, 2022
White was a true power running back in college. He was credited with having a nice mix of speed, strength, and a certain level of elusiveness. Now that he’s back on the field at training camp, White is currently impressing with his toughness, on top of his other traits. Speaking with the media, running back coach Kennedy Polamalu shared his thoughts on White so far.
“Tough, really good contact balance in the days that he was in pads. Having him here for OTAs and minicamp, you can see the growth in a new system.”
Will Raiders RB Zamir White see any action during Thursday’s Hall of Fame game?
Now that an injury concern is put to rest (for now), will we see White play on Thursday? When asked about any potential rotation for the Raiders pertaining to Thursday, Polamalu informed the press that no final decision had been made yet.
“Not yet. We’re still talking, working through, but they’re all excited for an opportunity. If they get 10 plays, if they get 30, if they get no plays, they’re going to have a mindset that they’re going to be ready to go preseason, and we will go from there.”
The likelihood for Thursday is that most, if not all, starters won’t take the field. Rather, the game will be a nice tryout for those players seeking a chance to crack the final roster. As of today, the Raiders are loaded at running back. Along with White, we might see Brandon Bolden, Brittain Brown, Austin Walter, and Ameer Abdullah get some snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal