Practice stars get shot at real thing

Undrafted wide receivers Adeboyejo, White eager to show skills in game action

Tim White talked to scouts from a number of NFL organizations. He pored over teams’ depth charts at both wide receiver and returner. He considered what cities he wanted to live in during the season.

Not long after Arizona State’s pro day in mid-March, White’s mind was essentially made up on where he wanted to begin his NFL career if given the choice. He made it official the only way he could a month before the draft. He turned on his Madden NFLvideo game, created himself as a player and placed himself on the Baltimore Ravens.

“As soon as the Ravens came in, I was like, ‘ Yeah, I’m feeling this,’ ” White said this week. “This is where I wanted to be.

Two weeks into training camp, the play of White and fellow undrafted free agent receiver Quincy Adeboyejo has provided the Ravens with a jolt of excitement at a time when good news has been in short supply. White, also a track and field standout at Arizona State, has used his speed and athleticism to find holes in the Ravens defense. Adeboyejo, who played at Mississippi, has caused problems for the team’s top cornerbacks with his combination of size and speed.

When the Ravens open the preseason tonight against the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium, the next challenge for the rookie receivers will be carrying over their form to game situations where the brighter lights and higher stakes have stifled several of the team’s young receivers. Preseason opener Tonight, 7:30 TV: CSN, chs. 11, 45, 54, 4, 7 Radio: 97.9 FM, 1090 AM