Kevin White back at full strength: ‘I’ve got to turn it up’

The Chicago Bears expected Kevin White to be an NFL star when they used the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft on the wide receiver, but injuries have prevented him from making an impact. White is aiming to change that in his third year as a pro.

After raising some concerns by being held out of OTAs with a leg injury, White has declared himself fully healthy. He’s now focusing all his attention on proving the Bears didn’t make a mistake by picking him.

“It’s got to happen now,” White said earlier this week, per Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. “I’ve got to turn it up. You know, even in Year 1, Year 2, I always want to turn it up and show what I can do. So to me, Year 3, it’s time.”

In Year 1, White did not play at all. He then suffered a left fibular spiral fracture and ankle ligament damage last year, which resulted in him missing 12 games. White has had two surgeries on his left leg, but he says he spent part of the offseason at a performance institute learning proper alignment and technique with running.

And if you call White a “bust,” it’s not going to bother him.

“If you say I won’t be able to score a touchdown or get 100 yards in a game, that’s not going to affect how I play,” he said. “I just know I’ve got to turn it up and do what I’ve got to do.”

Bears wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni said White has been turning heads with his route-running in practice, so that is a positive sign with regard to the 24-year-old’s health. Still, fans in Chicago are likely to the point where they’ll have to see it to believe it.