We might have seen this movie before.
Perhaps.
If, that is, the upcoming flick is true to its sneak preview.
The reference is to WVU receiver Ka'Raun White. It's to his spring practice performance. And it's to his brother Kevin's path in Morgantown - a path that led him to become the seventh pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
OK, so let's slow the roll a bit. No one is comparing Ka'Raun to Kevin, now set to play for the Chicago Bears after shin surgery.
But Kevin White did transfer to WVU from Lackawanna College. Like his brother. He struggled in his first season in Morgantown. Like his brother. But then he exploded onto the college football scene.
Like his brother?
Just maybe. We'll see. But during spring drills, Mountaineer quarterback Skyler Howard certainly looked Ka'Raun White's way early and very often. And keep in mind that Kevin White, with much the same body type, doubled his touchdowns from his first season in Morgantown (2013) to his second. He had almost 2 ½ times more yardage per game. He almost tripled his total yardage. And he more than tripled his catches, from 35 to 109.
The reason, those within the WVU circle will tell you, is Kevin White became more comfortable and much more physical. He used that 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame to his advantage. And guess which Mountaineer receiver now says he's also learned that lesson with his 6-2, 200-pound frame.
"I started using it this spring," Ka'Raun White said this week. "Coach [Tyron] Carrier was telling me I have a big body frame and I'm strong - so start using my muscles in the red zone with jump balls. I've been looking pretty good. I just need to work on it a little more in the fall and I'll be good."
And his comfort level?
"My confidence is at an all-time high," Ka'Raun White said. "At the end of last season, I did what I had to do. I stepped up and the coaches loved it. That gave me more motivation to keep pushing, to keep getting better, so I can be that guy. Players trust me. Coaches trust me."
Ka'Raun White finished with 15 catches last season for 275 yards (18.3 per catch) with no touchdowns and a 30.6 yards per game. Not great. Yet you couldn't help but notice in the spring that quarterback Skyler Howard kept looking White's way.
"Skyler definitely trusts me," said the receiver. "We've been working on communication. Being consistent catching the ball is the main thing. I did that all spring."
If that continues, this White family story could become pretty serious pretty fast - especially if another brother, Kyzir, indeed steps in and starts in WVU's defensive backfield this coming season.
"We're pretty physical, all three of us," Ka'Raun said. "You'll have to wait and see Kyzir, but he's really, really physical. He understands the game. He has good coverage [skills] and good speed. You'll have to wait and see. It will be a good camp."
There are certainly high standards set by the older brother.
"When I first came here, I knew there would be a lot on my shoulders because of my brother," Ka'Raun said. "He did a lot here and I'm playing the same position. So it was a little tough. I've eased my way into it now though. I'm Ka'Raun White. I play how I play and contribute how I can."
He smiled.
"The light is on," he said. "It's bright. And it should be a good season."
As his brother could attest, sometimes there's just an adjustment period.
"Conditioning-wise, everything was faster paced on offense," Ka'Raun said of the jump. "When we run a play, we've got to get right back to it, whether we're running a fade route or a post, the coaches expect us to get back and set. That was the toughest thing because at Lackawanna we weren't a fast-paced offense.
"We ran a pro style. As far as my routes, my deepest was a come-back. My deepest here is either a fade or a post. There's a lot more conditioning involved."
It helps, though, when you have the White family speed.
"We did the 20[-yard dash] and me and [defensive back] Antonio Crawford tied for the fastest on the team at 2.60 [seconds]," Ka'Raun said. "In the 10-yard, I got third place. They don't have us do the 40 because they don't want us stressing and pulling to try and get good times."
In sum, Ka'Raun White is a big, fast target for Howard. And the receiver likes what he sees from his QB.
"I like his patience," said the redshirt junior. "The ball is always there, but he also reads us. If we're not initially open, yet we find a seam, he still tries to get us the ball downfield. I love that. He's not one of those quarterbacks that will just tuck it and run. He's looking for us to make plays."
And if this script parallels the last one, another White will do just that.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4927 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.