Squirrel White tabbed as one of ‘college football’s next superstars’

Tennessee has to replace Jalin Hyatt next season, but after the Orange Bowl, there aren’t too many fans or analysts that are worried about Josh Heupel’s ability to do that. Squirrel White was electric down in Miami, helping the Volunteers take care of Clemson to cap an 11-2 season.

White got the country’s attention that night, capitalizing on his first true opportunity to play a full game. Predictably, college football analysts are bullish on his prospects going forward.

247Sports’ Chris Hummer named White as one of college football’s next superstars ahead of the 2023 season.

Hyatt opted out of the bowl game, which gave us a preview of the guy who is next in the slot for Tennessee — Squirrel White. All White did against Clemson was catch 9 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in his true freshman finale.

White isn’t the same type of receiver as Hyatt. He’s a bit smaller and a little shiftier in the open field, but they share one thing in common: Speed. White ran a verified 10.68-second 100-meter dash in high school. He should be a consistent deep threat for Joe Milton in 2023.

Tennessee got in early with White during the 2023 recruiting cycle and held off several top schools down the stretch. It didn’t take long to see why there was so much late interest. White earned playing time early on as a true freshman, jumping veterans on the depth chart to get a handful of snaps in the first half of the year.

As injuries piled up, White saw more time, and we got a really nice preview of what’s to come. Tennessee loves to launch it deep, now they have another speedster ready to roll. Paired with Joe Milton’s elite arm strength, White could instantly be in for a 1,000 yard season.

Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton will join him, along with Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton — another vertical threat with legitimate downfield speed. That top four should keep Tennessee’s offense near the top of the NCAA ranks once again, assuming the Volunteers get some consistency under center.