I keep coming back to it, but the biggest thing Pat White has going for him is he isn’t traveling an unpaved road. Other similarly skilled players, like former Oregon star Dennis Dixon, have been through it recently. The mysteries and the guesswork are somewhat removed.

Similar athleticism, similar college offense, some Heisman hype. Both have the baseball background and the unmistakable football ability. Pat White, however, doesn’t have a bad ACL. Dixon did and was still drafted in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who don’t make many draft day mistakes.  

The NFL draft is getting closer and Pat is getting closer to feeling the heat as that day approaches. Having been there and done that, Dixon doled out a little advice for walking in his shoes.

The first thing you need to do is …Just continue to be you, and someone in this league will give you a chance. You have been drafted in baseball, so the arm is not a factor. You’ve got speed; that’s a plus. The best thing I can do is tell you to continue to do what you do best .