MOBILE, Ala. —- Much like Peter Parker in the second installation of Marvel and Tom Holland’s trilogy of Spiderman films, Rachaad White is a long way from home.

The Arizona State running back flew to Mobile this past week to partake in the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl, which he accepted his invitation to in November.

Mobile, which happens to be the third-most populous city in Alabama, is a large establishment with a small town feel. But the area that hosts the heralded college football upperclassmen All-Star showcase is a stark contrast in grandeur. The airport only flies planes out of seven gates. Its roads barely span two lanes wide. The community is cordial, eager to talk, and tight-knit.

From Wednesday to Friday, the skies emptied more water than Tempe will see over the next three decades. While the ASU campus basked in the typical sunshine and beautiful temperatures enjoyed during the winter months, White was forced to bundle up in heavy jackets and thick hoodies to keep warm throughout his stay. Meanwhile, the 40-degree weather and unrelenting precipitation threatened to chill him to the bone.

Despite the poor conditions, White arrived at the Senior Bowl ready to work. The National team, which White practiced with, was led by New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and his staff. Its American counterpart received instruction from Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions. Scouts and front office members from all 32 National Football League teams were in attendance. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, a former scout himself, revealed on social media that over 900 media members traveled to cover the event and its prospects.

With so many resources in close proximity, White was determined not to let his time in Mobile slip through his fingers. Very few players have the opportunity to get coached by the league’s professionals before the NFL Combine. White became a sponge from the very first day, learning and asking questions along with the rest of the National team’s running backs.

“I like picking brains,” White said. “I’m a big guy on that. Honestly, they tell you how it really is and what they’re looking for. Everybody got their own coaching method and what they want to see.”

White mentioned that throughout practice, he has focused on improving his decisiveness, read/react skills, and punctuality as a runner. At points in the season, White found himself watching holes close because he sat behind his line for too long while determining the best course of action. While White views his patience as his best attribute, he wants to find a better balance in his pace of play.

In practice, White displayed all of the traits that made him a dynamic weapon for ASU over the past two seasons. He blazed through gaps with urgency, slashed away from defenders in open space, and broke tackles with his frame and juke moves for extra yardage. When rotating out of the backfield as a receiver, White looked like the most comfortable and natural pass catcher from both Senior Bowl backfields. He also made significant strides in his pass protection technique, which was not a primary emphasis at ASU because he was often deployed as a fifth option in the receiving game.

During Wednesday’s 7-on-7 session, White took the handoff and was clamped immediately by linebackers Darrian Beavers (Cincinnati) and Mike Rose (Iowa State), who sandwiched White on either side. As White stood pinned in place, Oklahoma defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey took advantage of the moment of vulnerability and raked the football from his grasp. The American defense recovered the ball for the turnover.

White picked himself up and failed to be fazed by the rare fumble. A few minutes later, in the team period, he ripped off a large run aided by a sweet jump cut that transferred his momentum forward. White likely told himself a phrase that ASU came to adopt over the 2021 season: “Yeah, don’t worry ‘bout it.”

After three straight days of practice, White and the rest of the players had a scheduled day off before the Senior Bowl game on Saturday. When it came time to suit up, the cold and unfamiliar environment were mere distractions.

Under the lights of Hancock Whitney Stadium, White notched 11 carries and 52 rushing yards. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry, tacking on a catch for seven receiving yards. He was the main facilitator for the National team in the second half, punching the ball into scoring position on back-to-back drives. White also ended the game as the National team’s leading rusher ahead of the Most Valuable Player from Senior Bowl practices, Abram Smith of Baylor.

The highlight of his performance came in the fourth quarter on a 1st-and-10 run from the American 43-yard line. White showcased his trademark patience, hesitating a fraction of a second behind the line as his blocks developed in front of him. Then, an eruption of athleticism.

White ripped through the traffic and into the middle of the defense. Both sides zippered together quickly, and the single-high safety headed downhill to assist as the play’s final soldier. Processing this information in real-time, White resulted to the signature move that floods his Pac-12 montage.

He hurdled the defender.

Kind of. It was a partial success since White’s legs got caught up, and he tumbled hard onto the ground. He gained the first down but fell short of taking an electric play to the house. Still, it would not have felt right if White left the Senior Bowl without attempting to clear at least one opponent with a vertical leap.

The crowd reacted in excitement to White’s explosive highlight all the same. Most importantly, however, he earned the respect of the defenders as one of the best running backs in the country.

“He’s got speed, but he has power as well,” Cincinnati cornerback and Jim Thorpe Award winner Coby Byrant said. “He’s a really smooth running back.”

During interviews, White compares himself to Le’Veon Bell and believes the former Pro Bowl running back is a good representation of his running style and receiving prowess. When asked how he developed that uncanny patience, White said he could not remember exactly how it came to define him as a runner. Some talents just simply can’t be taught.

“It’s different because it’s just natural,” White grinned. “Some people say they would rather just see me hit the hole, but at the end of the day, you just got to be yourself.”

White mentioned he had met with 16 teams up until the media breakfast but politely declined to name which franchises were eying him (or vice versa). ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. tabbed White as the No. 6 running back in his latest batch of positional rankings. White knows the rest of the nation is still learning his name, and he is content to let those that sleep on his game get the extra rest.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” White said of his notoriety compared to the rest of his class. “I like being underrated. That’s fine with me.”

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