Listed Measurements: 6-foot-1, 220 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Freshman yet to enroll; four years of eligibility remaining
Depth chart: With a duo of veterans manning one linebacker spot (senior captain Greer Martini and junior Te’von Coney) and stalwart senior Nyles Morgan at the other, any youth in the Irish linebacker corps will likely have to wait out this season to see many defensive snaps. White is no exception.
Recruiting: A consensus three-star recruit, White chose Notre Dame from a lengthy offer list including the likes of LSU, Michigan and Ohio State.
QUOTE(S)
Irish coach Brian Kelly used the usual array of buzzwords to describe White and fellow incoming linebacker David Adams (on left in above picture, alongside White) on National Signing Day.
“We have two that are instinctive, tough, smart,” Kelly said. “Those are the three things that stand out with David Adams and Drew White.
“Drew, out of St. Thomas Aquinas [in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.], comes from a winning program. He’s a winner … Competitive, smart, instinctive linebackers. It just adds to what we’re looking for from a defensive perspective. Really, really excited in having them on our football team.”
WHAT WE SAID WHEN WHITE’S NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT ARRIVED
“Every review of White seems to begin with the cliché football term, ‘tackler.’ At some point, if enough people call you a horse, you should buy a saddle. White finds his way to the ball, makes the tackles and stays involved constantly.”
2017 OUTLOOK
Every tackle White records on defense should register with some amount of surprise. There are simply too many established veterans ahead of him for White to see much, if any, playing time this season on that side of the ball.
But that does not mean a year spent preserving eligibility is on the horizon. It does not even mean White will not log tackles.
Notre Dame’s lack of defensive depth stood out in spring practice whenever the view turned to special teams. Most pertinently, Irish special teams coordinator Brian Polian lamented the dearth of available bodies for his kick and punt coverage units. White could be a prime candidate to help out in those regards, and given his penchant for finding the ballcarrier, he could tally as many as 10 tackles, which, given only a smattering of chances, is actually a notable figure.
The transfer of junior Josh Barajas (to FCS-level Illinois State) does open an opportunity for White to see some mop-up duty at linebacker, but sophomores Jonathan Jones and Jamir Jones (no relation) would theoretically be ahead of White in those spots.
DOWN THE ROAD
The upside of the slim chance of seeing genuine action in 2017 due to starting upperclassmen is those veterans will not be around for long. Coney will presumably start next year, but a spot will be open alongside of him, and then his position will be up for grabs in 2019.
White joins a depth chart lacking a frontrunner for those duties. If his tackling habits of the past continue in college — and special teams would give White an excellent chance to showcase them early — White could quickly find himself at least in a linebacker rotation next year, especially after considering the increasing likelihood Jamir Jones moves to the defensive line in a year, when the Irish coaches are more comfortable with White and Adams providing necessary depth at linebacker.
Aside from the five early enrollees, the numbers are not yet confirmed for the Irish freshmen class. That is one of the admitted drawbacks to organizing this summer-long series numerically. But a little bit of educated guessing can garner estimates for those numbers, and those estimates can allow the series to proceed without pause.
How are those estimates crafted? The first step is to take a look at certain NCAA rules, but the NCAA does not put recommendations on defensive players, broadening White’s options. Looking at the Irish roster, slotting White in shortly after Nos. 44 and 45, Jamir and Jonathan Jones, respectively, seems fitting.
Drew White very well may not wear No. 40, but it is possible.
2017’s Notre Dame 99-to-2
Friday at 4: Goodbye A-to-Z, hello 99-to-2 (May 12)
No. 99: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
No. 98: Andrew Trumbetti, defensive end
No. 97: Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle
No. 96: Pete Mokwuah, defensive tackle
No. 95 (theoretically): Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle
No. 94 (theoretically): Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92 (theoretically): Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 90 (theoretically): Cole Kmet, tight end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87 (theoretically): Jafar Armstrong, receiver
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84 (theoretically): Michael Young, receiver
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 82: Nic Weishar, tight end
No. 81: Miles Boykin, receiver
No. 80: Durham Smythe, tight end
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right tackle
No. 77: Brandon Tiassum, defensive tackle
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right tackle
No. 73: (theoretically) Josh Lugg, offensive tackle
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle
No. 71: Alex Bars, offensive lineman
No. 70: Hunter Bivin, offensive lineman
No. 69: Aaron Banks, offensive lineman
No. 68: Mike McGlinchey, left tackle
No. 67: Jimmy Byrne, offensive lineman
No. 65: (theoretically) Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman
No. 58: Elijah Taylor, defensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman
No. 56: Quenton Nelson, left guard
No. 55: Jonathan Bonner, defensive lineman
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Sam Mustipher, center
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, defensive lineman
No. 52: (theoretically) Jonathan Doerer, kicker
No. 48: Greer Martini, inside linebacker
No. 47: (theoretically) Kofi Wardlow, defensive end
No. 46: (theoretically) Jonathon MacCollister; defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, linebacker/defensive lineman
No. 42: Julian Okwara, defensive end
TRANSFERS
No. 66: Tristen Hoge, offensive lineman, transfers to BYU
No. 50: Parker Boudreaux, offensive lineman
No. 30: Josh Barajas, linebacker, to transfer to Illinois State
INJURIES
No. 13: Tyler Luatua, tight end, career ended by medical hardship