Rachaad White and the Bucs have an intriguing matchup to start their 2024 regular season. They will host the Washington Commanders and second overall pick, quarterback Jayden Daniels, in Week 1. Daniels was a sensation at LSU, winning the Heisman Trophy last season, but some may not know that Daniels previously played at Arizona State where he was teammates and friends with White, Tampa Bay’s starting running back.

Former ASU RB Rachaad White and QB Jayden Daniels – Photo by: USA Today

For the 2020 and 2021 season, Rachaad White and Daniels were the mainstays in the backfield for the Sun Devils, though 2020 was a COVID year and Arizona State only played in four games. In their only full season together in 2021, ASU went 8-5, as White rushed for 1,006 yards and 15 touchdowns while also recording 456 receiving yards and a score. White was the team leader in rushing yards with Daniels second, and White was also second on the team in receiving.

Daniels rushed for 710 yards, scoring six touchdowns that season with the Sun Devils. He completed 65 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,380 yards with 10 touchdowns and also 10 interceptions.

Daniels transfered to LSU after the season and went on to improve, while White went to the NFL and was drafted by the Bucs. Rachaad White continued to speak highly of Daniels since he’s been in the league and he mentioned during his conversation with national talk show host Jim Rome that he speaks with Daniels almost every day and every week.

Rachaad White Makes Week 1 Prediction

Their friendship was shown while Rachaad White went on the Jim Rome Show for a recent interview where facing his old teammate was brought up.Typically a sign of a good friendship is when you can talk trash about the other in jest.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It’s crazy, our first game, I tell him we got to put belt-to-ass, but that’s just how it goes. It’s just good competition,” White said. “It’s great competition. For him to be the first game of my third year of the new year that we are very excited about over here in Tampa. I can’t ask for no better, so I tell now all the time that  I got to, like I said, put belt to ass and that. It’s cool, though. His first loss will come from me.”

Tampa Bay is the favorite when they host Washington, which is a 4:25 p.m. ET game. At 4:05 p.m. ET the Broncos play at the Seahawks and the Raiders are at the Chargers. The only other 4:25 p.m. game is the broadcasting debut of Tom Brady as he calls the Cowboys-Browns matchup. While several fans are anticipating how Brady will do in the booth, watching the second overall pick play in his first NFL game should also get a lot attention.

It’s a good opportunity for the Bucs to remind everybody that they’re a good team that can make a run this season by starting out with a win in dominating fashion. White would love to be involved as a big reason why they succeed, which would likely mean an improvement in Tampa Bay’s long-suffering run game.