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Dallas Cowboys: QB2 Mike White missing just one thing

By Reid Hanson

HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 30: Mike White #3 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass under pressure by Darius Kilgo #96 of the Houston Texans in the second half of the preseason game at NRG Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 30: Mike White #3 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass under pressure by Darius Kilgo #96 of the Houston Texans in the second half of the preseason game at NRG Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys want second year player, Mike White, to claim the backup quarterback spot but he’s still missing one thing…

The Dallas Cowboys don’t draft quarterbacks often so when they do, you best take notice. In the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Dallas drafted only their second QB in the past decade (Stephen McGee in 2009).

Mike White, rated as a third round talent by many reputable sources, was too good to pass up for the Dallas Cowboys on Day 3. With only the undrafted Cooper Rush backing up Dak Prescott, the need was clearly there. And given Cooper’s inexperience, the opportunity was as well.

White looked rough early on. The pro game looked much too fast for White and he was clearly uncomfortable as a passer. But as time progressed so did White. He never reached optimal QB2 levels, but with the stoutly built Prescott at QB1 and Cooper as the primary back-up, White didn’t need to be performing at QB2 levels.

The important thing is he showed a little improvement and stuck around. Adjusting to the speed of the game is tough for just about any signal-caller. It shouldn’t be an indictment or a red flag for Mike White going forward. He just needs to keep showing improvement.

The good news is Mike White has plenty to work with. In college, White had the fifth highest completion percentage in his draft class. Playing in a Pro-style offense, White can make all the NFL throws, and according to Pro Football Focus, he was the best in the class throwing to receivers with just a step of separation (Fun Fact: Dak Prescott was tops in his class). This may seem like an arbitrary stat, but PFF calls it one of their:

"” most telling, predictive numbers when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks”."

Sadly, in mini-camps Mike White hasn’t looked so great. Neither has Cooper Rush for that matter. The uninspiring play of the Dallas back-up QBs has become worrisome to Cowboys Nation. Sport DFW writer Dan Ruppert discussed the situation last month. And just last week I expanded on it saying Dallas would just waste a veteran QB2 anyway, so why bother?

Mike White remains the Dallas Cowboys best hope. He has the arm talent and smarts to get it done. But there’s one thing wrong – the game is still moving too fast for him.

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Virtually every rookie experiences this when they transition to the pro game. The jump from college is a big one. EVERY player in the NFL was a star in college. The game moves at light speed and rookies have to adjust to the new speed.

Unfortunately, not every player successfully makes that transition. That’s where Mike White is now. Often referred to as “thinking too much”, White has been slow on his reads, late with his release, and hesitant to do just about anything.

Mike White has the talent needed to play in the NFL, but if he can’t catch up to the speed of the game, none of it will matter.

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Mike White is a great developmental prospect for the Dallas Cowboys but he still has one major thing to overcome to win the QB2 job in Dallas.

  • Published on 07/20/2019 at 12:01 PM
  • Last updated at 07/19/2019 at 03:46 AM
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