Chicago Bears NFL Draft Sleeper: Kerrith Whyte Jr.

Draft profile

Whyte, a redshirt junior, teamed up with Devin Singletary, who we’ve previously profiled, to form an incredibly potent and versatile backfield last season for Florida Atlantic. Led by head coach Lane Kiffin, Whyte flourished despite splitting time with Singletary.

On just 134 rushing attempts last season, Whyte toted the ball for an eye-popping 866 yards, which was good for 6.5 yards per carry. He also found the end zone eight times on the ground. As a pass catcher out of the backfield, he caught 10 passes for 160 yards (16 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.

In other words, when Whyte gets the ball, he makes the most of it, as evidenced by his average yards per carry and catch. Although he stands just 5-foot-10 and weighs 200 pounds, he has fantastic contact balance. In fact, he had the most yards after contact per rushing attempt (3.92) of any running back in college football last season for a total of 522 yards after contact.

He’s a very elusive back with very good lateral quickness and speed, which he believes will pop at FAU’s Pro Day in March. Talking to Whyte, he’s an incredibly humble and hard-working player who leans on his faith in all situations. Whyte has come a long way —  from not having a single Division1 offer to being on the verge of fulfilling a lifelong dream.

No doubt his versatility will help him achieve that dream of playing in the NFL, as he would not only provide a spark in the backfield but is extremely dangerous as a kick returner, averaging 28.7 yards per return.

https://twitter.com/Stadium/status/1048717718629900288

The video above shows just how explosive he can be when he gets the ball in space, whether it’s on a kickoff or out of the backfield. As a player who offers a lot of versatility and would fill at least two needs for the Bears, he would be the ideal replacement for Mizzell next season. We talked about his fit with the Bears, among other topics, when we sat down recently to discuss his journey.