Jonathan Daniel/Getty
Kevin White nearly gave up pursuing a DI college career.
In a terrific profile of White's journey to the NFL by the NFL Network's Michael Silver, Silver details how White had to beg coaches from Division I schools to take a chance on him.
After having a solid high school career on the field, White's poor grades turned several recruiters off, leaving him to go to Lackawanna College, a Pennsylvania junior college near his hometown.
Despite two strong years on and off the field at Lackawanna, White still wasn't getting much interest from schools. According to White, in 2012 he emailed 250 college coaches asking for a chance to prove himself, only receiving mild interest from Hawaii and Texas Tech.
White told Silver, "I was on the laptop, 'cause I was doing a work study. And I saw it pop up, like, 'Hey, Kevin White, this is the wide receivers coach for West Virginia. Would love to get in contact with you - would you please call?'"
White signed with West Virginia, but got hurt his first year and put up middling stats. In his second year (his senior year of college), White exploded for over 1,400 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns, becoming one of the top receivers in the country.
It's a far cry from where White was in 2011, when, frustrated by having to attend Lackawanna, he nearly gave up his NFL dream and went to Bloomsburg University with his younger brother.
Now, White will fill a position of need for the Bears, making millions of dollars in the process.