DALLAS -- We’ve seen this picture before.
Two years ago West Virginia receiver Kevin White was walking the halls of the Omni Hotel in Dallas at Big 12 media days with minimal fanfare.
“Nobody knew who he was,” coach Dana Holgorsen said.
During the 2013 season, White was a relatively unknown receiver who had 35 receptions for 507 yards and five touchdowns as he adjusted to the Big 12 following his transfer from Lackawanna Junior College. White responded to a medicore debut with a breakout senior season, recording 109 receptions for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns before becoming the Chicago Bears’ first-round draft pick in 2015.
Fast forward to the conference’s 2016 version of Big 12 media days and it’s another White making waves at West Virginia.
Ka’Raun White, Kevin White’s little brother, is creating a buzz while on a similar path.
“Ka'Raun White,” West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard said without hesitation when asked which receivers had been impressive this offseason. "I feel like he’s going to take his game to a whole 'nother level."
After following in his brother’s footsteps by arriving at West Virginia following a short stint at Lackawanna Junior College, Ka'Raun was an afterthought in the Mountaineers’ offense in 2015. Ka'Raun had 15 receptions for 275 yards during his first season in Morgantown, West Virginia as it took a while for him to find his feet in the Big 12. Some hope came in his final game as a sophomore with Ka'Raun grabbing four receptions for 116 yards in West Virginia’s 43-42 Motel 6 Cactus Bowl win to end the season.
From that point forward, Ka'Raun has been impressing his teammates and coaches, drawing praise for his performance during the spring and summer workouts as he is carving himself an increased role in the offense. In other words, don’t be surprised if Ka’Raun White continues to follow the footsteps of his older brother Kevin, right into a breakout season during his second year in blue and gold.
“He’s really shown up in the spring and the summer, working towards being the best receiver he can be,” Howard said. “I feel like he’s going to have a breakout year.”