{{Short description|American football player (born 2004)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Squirrel White | image = Squirrel_White_Tennessee.png | upright = | alt = | caption = White in 2024 | number = 26 | current_team = | position = Wide receiver | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|5|5}} | birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 9 | weight_lb = 177 | high_school = Clay-Chalkville<br>(Clay, Alabama) | college = Tennessee (2022–2024)<br>Florida State (2025) | undraftedyear = 2026 | pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2026}})* | status = Active | highlights = | statseason = | statweek = | statleague = NFL | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = | statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue3 = | statlabel4 = Return yards | statvalue4 = | statlabel5 = Return touchdowns | statvalue5 = | pfr = }}
'''Marquarius Malik''' "'''Squirrel'''" '''White''' (born May 5, 2004) is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles in college and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears in 2026. Shortly after, he retired from professional football.
==Early life== White's great-grandmother nicknamed him "Squirrel" as an infant because he imitated the movement of a squirrel in her garden. According to White, "When she was holding me, there was a squirrel in her garden. It picked her tomato. And when the squirrel moved, I moved at the same time. So she started calling me [Squirrel]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/2022/08/31/squirrel-white-tennessee-vols-football-fresh-am-wide-receiver/7951737001/|title=Squirrel White: What to know about Tennessee football freshman with fun nickname|website=Knox News|first=Adam|last=Sparks|date=August 31, 2022|access-date=November 19, 2023}}</ref>
==High school career== White attended and played high school football at Clay-Chalkville High School in Clay, Alabama. As a senior, he had 49 receptions for 1,162 yards and 16 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paschall |first=David |date=August 5, 2022 |title=Tennessee's 160-pound 'Squirrel' eager to make mark in SEC |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2022/aug/05/tennessees-160-pound-squirrel-eager-make-mark/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press}}</ref> White committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Mike |date=July 8, 2021 |title=Marquarius White, a three-star wide receiver, commits to Tennessee football |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2021/07/08/marquarius-white-commits-tennessee-football-recruiting/7872464002/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Perrin |first=Mike |date=July 8, 2021 |title=Clay-Chalkville’s Marquarius White commits to play for Tennessee Vols |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2021/07/clay-chalkvilles-marquarius-white-commits-to-play-for-tennessee-vols.html |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=AL.com}}</ref> He also ran track in high school.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perrin |first=Mike |date=July 7, 2021 |title=Clay-Chalkville speedster ‘Squirrel’ White to pick between Tennessee, Louisville |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2021/07/clay-chalkville-speedster-squirrel-white-to-pick-between-tennessee-louisville.html |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=AL.com}}</ref>
==College career== As a true freshman at Tennessee, White played in 12 games and had 30 receptions for 481 yards with two touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crowell |first=Evan |date=February 20, 2023 |title=Squirrel White Touted As "Rising Superstar" |url=https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/recruiting/squirrel-white-touted-as-rising-superstar |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>
After the 2024 school season, Squirrel entered the transfer portal. He landed with the Florida State Seminoles.
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 5 | height in = 9 3/8 | weight = 177 | dash = 4.64 | ten split = 1.64 | twenty split = 2.65 | shuttle = 4.35 | cone drill = 7.05 | vertical = 29.5 | broad ft = 9 | broad in = 9 | arm span = 30 | hand span = 8 1/2 | wingspan ft = 6 | wingspan in = 1 1/8 | note = All values from Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1057441&DraftYear=2026 |title=Squirrel White College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=April 5, 2026}}</ref> }}
White was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears after the conclusion of the 2026 NFL draft.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|title=Roster Moves: Chicago Bears sign four draft selections, 13 undrafted free agents|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-moves-chicago-bears-sign-four-draft-selections-13-undrafted-free-agents|website=ChicagoBears.com|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=May 8, 2026|access-date=May 8, 2026}}</ref>
On May 11, White retired from the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|title=Roster Moves: Chicago Bears sign four players|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-moves-chicago-bears-sign-four-players-rookie-minicamp-2026|website=ChicagoBears.com|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=May 11, 2026|access-date=May 12, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bears undrafted rookie receiver Squirrel White retires|url=https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bears-squirrel-white-915cefc0337ea253a13a09d10ab6e9f8|website=apnews.com|publisher=Associated Press|date=May 11, 2026|access-date=May 12, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://seminoles.com/sports/football/roster/squirrel-white/7859 Florida State Seminoles bio] *[https://utsports.com/sports/football/roster/squirrel-white/15021 Tennessee Volunteers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Squirrel}} Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Alabama Category:American football wide receivers Category:Florida State Seminoles football players Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players Category:Chicago Bears players
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