The Seattle Seahawks have re-signed wide receiver Ricky White III to their practice squad after waiving him in the final cut to 53, keeping the 2025 seventh-round pick in the building as they prepare to defend a Super Bowl title.
White, a 6-foot-1, 181-pound receiver out of UNLV, spent his rookie year on Seattle’s practice squad and was elevated for two regular-season games. He appeared on a handful of offensive and special-teams snaps without recording a catch.
After signing a reserve/futures deal in February, he competed again this summer but was among the receivers cut Sunday as the team settled on a group headlined by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Tory Horton, and Montorie Foster Jr.
Practice-squad eligibility opened Monday after the waiver period. White is expected to join fellow young receivers such as Emmanuel Henderson Jr. on the 17-man unit, giving the Seahawks familiar depth they can elevate on game days.
That decision tracks with how the organization has viewed him since drafting him 238th overall. White’s college tape was defined by explosiveness. After a brief stop at Michigan State, he transferred to UNLV and became the first Rebel with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
In 2023, he hauled in 88 passes for 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns, finishing third in FBS in receiving yards. He followed with 79 catches for 1,041 yards and 11 scores in 2024. Career totals: 228 receptions, 3,366 yards, and 24 touchdowns.
Scouts praised his linear speed and ability to generate chunk plays. He stretched the field on posts and overs, created after the catch with elusiveness, and posted strong yards-per-route numbers in UNLV’s tempo offense.
He also showed special-teams value, blocking four punts in 2024 and earning Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year honors. Combine and pro-day testing backed the film: a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical, and 10-foot-3 broad jump.
The NFL learning curve has been steeper. White’s 40 time was not elite for a smaller outside receiver, and he finished last year’s preseason with modest production.
Crowded receiver rooms and injuries ahead of him on the depth chart have limited opportunities. Still, Seattle has consistently signaled it likes his camp work and versatility.
For a defending champion, the practice squad is a development pipeline as much as a spare-parts warehouse. White gives the Seahawks a player who can mimic opposing speedsters in practice, contribute on coverage units, and be a phone call away if injuries hit the active roster.
Whether he eventually sticks on the 53 will depend on continued growth in route precision and consistency. For now, the team has chosen to keep the explosive college playmaker close.
