Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you Cam White.

 

He’s the best D2 NFL-prospect you’ve never heard of…until now.

 

While I admit I may be a little biased, I’ll do my best to give a straightforward layout, reserve my personal opinion, and only give my professional opinion as a strength coach. I’ll start off by saying Cam is one of the best all-around athletes I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

 

Because everyone likes the measureables, let’s just get them out of the way…

 

Position- FB/TE/Slot

Height- 6’2

Weight- 250lbs

Hand Size- 10”

Arm Length- 32.5”

Vertical Jump- 36.5”

Broad Jump- 9’11 (119”)

225- Rep Test- 22 reps

40-yd Dash- 4.64

 

Numbers can never tell the whole story so check out this video (and the links in the description) to witness one of the biggest athletic mutants out there…

 

There are tons of guys who train like Tarzan but play like Jane once they get on the field. I’ve seen these types of ‘workout warriors’ and found out they spend most of the game on the sidelines for one reason or another. However, Cam White isn’t one of these guys. His mentality on the field is just as intense, if not more so, than in the gym. You have to know the history before we discuss the future.

Cam was a two-time All-American football player at Hillsdale College (NCAA Division 2).

 

With only a few games left his senior season, the Chargers were making a run for the GLIAC conference title and a playoff-berth. Cam was causing nightmares for defenses all year (he had at least one TD in every game at this point). He was hit in the left knee and went down. He was told he tore his MCL. Considering what was at stake, he had the training staff tape it and brace it.  He didn’t miss a snap.

 

A few possessions later he took another hit after a reception, a low shot to the right knee along the sideline. His ACL and MCL were torn in his right knee- injuries to both knees in the same game. I still remember my stomach sinking when I found out and what I said: “That’s how a warrior goes down… good thing they got both legs or they’d be in trouble.”

 

Cam trained with us that entire summer leading into his senior season. I couldn’t help but feel like we could’ve done something more to prevent his injury but it’s difficult to reduce the likelihood when direct contact is made with substantial force. Without a doubt in my mind, I knew that if anyone could come back from this devastation quickly it would be Cam…because I know Cam.

 

Cam graduated from Hillsdale in December 2012 and was back in the gym that month. Broken and defeated, he came to talk to me about his future and map it out. He looked me square in the eyes and told me, without hesitation, he still wanted to play professional football. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind because when an athlete wants something badly enough, that’s all I need to hear. ACL surgeries and recovery periods are more effective and timely than ever in this day and age so I knew full-heartedly that it would be nothing more than a minor setback – I saw it in his eyes. It was time to work.

For the first 10-weeks he did nothing but train upper body 4x per week. In addition he also was rehabbing his knee 3x per week at physical therapy. When he was eventually cleared to start lower body training we took it slow but I could see that he was cruising.

 

With a guy like Cam, I had to watch him carefully and almost hold him back in order to protect him from himself. Warriors always want to push the pace and feel like they can handle more. This drove him insane but I said the same thing to him as I say to all the athletes I work with, “if you don’t want to listen then get out.”

 

He was out of his brace ahead of schedule and even opted to not wear it during training, as he didn’t want it to affect him psychologically – which can cause a lot of athletes to heal more slowly and not perform like they should.

 

Cam was even cleared for linear running and low level jumps earlier than normal. A short time after he was given the green light for lower body strength training, he box squatted 500lbs for reps and deadlifted 675lbs on the trap bar…this was the first time he ever used a trap bar and did it simply to break one of our gym records. This was 5.5-months post-ACL surgery. Actually, Cam currently holds all but two of our gym records in the ‘Pro Division’- he constantly has to be competing, and winning, at something.

 

These records may not seem like much, but keep in mind that NFL tackles Jared Veldheer (Oakland) and Cam Bradfield (Jacksonville) also compete in this division at 310lbs+. During the off-season they are all training partners. These guys are fellow Division 2 college players who worked and ended up earning starting NFL jobs.  Cam actually trained alongside Jared and Tom Korte (Hillsdale graduate, made final cuts with Steelers in ’09) when he was entering Hillsdale as a freshman.

 

This goes to show how strong and explosive Cam truly is – no ‘big fish in a small pond’ syndrome here. In addition, Cam has been around intense training atmospheres for a long time. This helped to engrain a blue-collar attitude towards football and training. All he wants to do is work, become a better player, and play ball. Keep the fancy equipment, comfortable environment, and excuses to yourself.

 

Cam became fully cleared for all activity only 6.5-months after surgery.

 

At 7-months he jumped over a 60” hurdle (stuck the landing).

 

At 8-months he leaped to a 36.5” vertical jump at his heaviest bodyweight, 4” higher than the previous summer before his injury.

 

At 9-months he jumped over a 65” hurdle, box squatted 605lbs, and ran a 4.64 second (hand-timed) 40-yd dash.

 

If he tested today, his combine numbers and measurements would place him near the top of the Tight End class from the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine. Even with his speedy recovery he was unable to showcase his talents at regional combines or pro days this past spring and was unfortunately overlooked.

 

In the meantime he has been training 5-6x per week with us at PowerStrength. He has the ideal environment for success and all he has is time.

All this time in the right environment is a scary thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cam isn’t on a roster this season so he has even more time to improve his athletic prowess. He’s looking to not only shatter all his current numbers but also keep his football skills sharp. We travel to area football fields multiple times per week for speed workouts, route running, and other various football drills. Again, being a freak in the gym is good, but being a freak actually PLAYING FOOTBALL is great. Let me tell you – All-Americans don’t forget how to play the game that easily…

 

When Cam isn’t training, he spends his time working as one of our PowerStrength coaches, helping younger athletes attain their goals and being a positive role model. His years of athletic experience, training, and ability to learn quickly contribute to his effectiveness as a coach. Again, what truly makes him a special coach is his leadership and positive character traits that he’s able to pass along. Regardless, Cam is always in the gym and focused on his goal – it’s all he has at the moment.

 

Until the time comes, I know Cam will continue to be patient and keep training to be ready for his opportunity. Making himself better is the only thing he can control.

 

So…

 

 

Now you’ve heard of Cam White from tiny Hillsdale College.  The title of this post can now be an ancient memory.

 

 

-Mark Ehnis, C.S.C.S, CPPS

Owner-Founder

PowerStrength Training Systems

@ThePowerMark