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Oklahoma Linebacker Declares for NFL Draft

DaShaun White, a fifth-year senior, compiled 248 tackles in his OU career, the last four of which he was a starter.

John E. Hoover

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As expected, Oklahoma linebacker DaShaun White has turned his eyes toward the future.

White, a fifth-year senior and a four-year starter, declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Sunday. Having played 14 games as a backup during his true freshman season in 2018, White’s college eligibility expired this season.

White made the announcement on Twitter.

In his post, White thanked “the coaches who helped develop me physically, mentally and spiritually. A special thanks to coach (Brent) Venables, coach (Ted) Roof, coach (Jerry) Schmidty and coach (Brian) Odom). I’m grateful for the lesses I’ve learned from each and every coach along the way.”

The 6-foot, 225-pound White started 48 games the last four years and finished his career with 248 total tackles (a career-high 90 this year under Venables at the new cheetah position) with 19 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks.

White received a projected draft grade of fifth round, per Sports Illustrated.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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