Freeman White
{{Short description|American football player (born 1943)}}
{{for|the Canadian politician|Freeman White (politician)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Freeman White
| image = Freeman White (1964).png
| caption = White (No. 85) from 1965 Cornhusker
| position = Defensive back, linebacker, tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1943|12|17}}
| birth_place = Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 225
| high_school = Chadsey {{nowrap|(Detroit, Michigan)}}
| college = Nebraska (1962–1965)
| draftyear = 1966
| draftround = 9
| draftpick = 132
| afldraftyear = 1966
| afldraftround = 2
| afldraftpick = 11
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1966}}–{{NFL Year|1969}})
- Ottawa Rough Riders ({{CFL Year|1970}})
| highlights =
- Consensus All-American (1965)
- 2× First-team All-Big Eight (1964, 1965)
| pfr = W/WhitFr00
}}
Freeman White II (born December 17, 1943) is an American former professional football player who played four seasons with the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Giants in the ninth round of the 1966 NFL draft. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was a consensus All-American in 1965. White also played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Early life
Freeman White II was born on December 17, 1943, in Montgomery, Alabama. He played high school football at Chadsey High School in Detroit, Michigan, earning all-state honors.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/whit05800.html | title=Freeman White | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=23 January 2025}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14406357/the_montgomery_advertiser/ | title=White Will Play In Orange Bowl | work=The Montgomery Advertiser | date=January 1, 1964 | accessdate=October 14, 2017 | pages=29}} He earned four letters in football, four in basketball, three in baseball, and three in track.{{cite web | url=https://huskers.com/sports/football/roster/player/freeman-white | title=Freeman White | publisher=University of Nebraska–Lincoln | accessdate=23 January 2025}}
College career
White was a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from 1962 to 1965. He was on the freshman team in 1962 and a three-year letterman from 1963 to 1965. He caught two passes for 24 yards in 1963.{{cite web | url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freeman_White&action=edit | title=Freeman White | publisher=Sports Reference | accessdate=23 January 2025}} In 1964, White recorded 17 receptions for 338 yards and two touchdowns, earning Associated Press and United Press International first-team All-Big Eight Conference honors.{{cite news|title=Associated Press All-Big 8|newspaper=The Lincoln Star|date=December 2, 1964|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3413028/associated_press_all_big_8/}}{{cite news|title=Nebraska Puts Five On UPI All-Big Eight Offensive Team|newspaper=The Lincoln Star|date=December 4, 1964|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3413235/nebraska_puts_5_on_upi_all_big_8/}} His 338 receiving yards were the most in the Big Eight that season. He caught 28 passes for 458 yards and six touchdowns as a senior in 1965, garnering consensus All-American and first-team All-Big Eight recognition.{{cite web | url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=925914 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014034653/http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=925914 | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 14, 2017 | title=#85 Freeman White Jr. | publisher=huskers.com | accessdate=August 17, 2014}}{{cite web|title=2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)|year=2014|accessdate=August 16, 2014|page=6|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf|archive-date=November 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126094941/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/awards.pdf|url-status=dead}} White's 16.4 yards per catch and six receiving touchdowns led the Big Eight in both categories that year. His 28 receptions and 458 receiving yards both set school single-season records. He also set school single-game records his senior year with eight catches against TCU and 139 receiving yards against Colorado. White set school career records in catches with 47 and receiving yards with 820. He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1982.{{cite web | url=https://huskers.com/nebraska-football-hall-of-fame | title=NEBRASKA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME | publisher=University of Nebraska–Lincoln | accessdate=23 January 2025}}
Professional career
White was selected by the New York Giants in the ninth round, with the 132nd overall pick, of the 1966 NFL draft and by the Denver Broncos in the second round, with the 11th overall pick, of the 1966 AFL draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WhitFr00.htm | title=Freeman White | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=23 January 2025}} He chose to sign with the Giants. He played in all 14 games, starting four, primarily as a linebacker during the 1966 season, recording one sack and two kick returns for 14 yards. White was moved to safety in 1967 and appeared in 14 games with six starts, totaling two interceptions for 53 yards and one fumble recovery. He played in 14 games, starting one, during the 1968 season. In 1969, White was converted to tight end, catching 29 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. He was waived by the Giants on September 8, 1970.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/163763810/ | title=White, Johnson Head Sextet Placed on Waivers by Giants | work=Daily News | date=September 9, 1970 | accessdate=23 January 2025 | author=Miller, Norm | pages=C26}}
White played in seven games for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League as an offensive end in 1970, recording seven receptions for 148 yards.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=whitefre001 Stats Crew profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082728/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/freeman-white-2.html College stats]
{{1965 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Broncos1966DraftPicks}}
{{Giants1966DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Freeman}}
Category:Players of American football from Montgomery, Alabama
Category:Players of Canadian football from Alabama
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:American football tight ends
Category:American football linebackers
Category:American football safeties
Category:Canadian football ends
Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Ottawa Rough Riders players
Category:All-American college football players