Former Imhotep football star Enai White is reinventing himself in a new role at Penn State
After three years in Texas — away from the sights, sounds, and people associated with Pennsylvania — White, a top prospect in 2022, is retooling his position and mindset in familiar territory.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — When Enai White enrolled at Texas A&M in 2022, he arrived at College Station as the No. 2-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania by 247Sports.
Three years later, he found himself in the transfer portal after playing just 168 snaps over three seasons.
For White, a former Imhotep Charter star, the chance to return to his home state for his redshirt junior season was enticing. But it was the belief of another Philly native, Northeast grad and Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes, that made his decision to take his talents to State College “a no-brainer.”
“Coach Barnes had the most belief in me when I was in the transfer portal, so that made my decision to come here very easy,” White said. “I like being around a family-oriented team.”
The redshirt junior could have spent more time weighing his options, but after an “impressive” visit to State College, White spent just nine days in the portal before transferring to Penn State on the eve of its first College Football Playoff appearance.
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“I was impressed by the coaches when I came up here on my official visit,” White said. “Me and Coach Deion being from the same area, we played against each other. [When] I was in high school, he coached against me. So, it just made sense. It was the best football decision I could make at the time.”
White’s tenure in College Station was injury-riddled. The 6-foot-5 pass rusher appeared in just six games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons after suffering season-ending injuries and spending time buried on the depth chart behind future NFL draft picks.
After three years in Texas — away from the sights, sounds, and people associated with Pennsylvania — White is happy to be back in familiar territory.
“The culture is very different,” White said. “Being from Pa., it’s kind of the same, but I’ve been away from it for so long [that] I forgot how the people were. The culture is amazing.”
The state White resides in isn’t the only major difference for him this season. The career defensive end switched positions this offseason, moving inside to defensive tackle.
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The Philly native, who was listed at 245 pounds entering his third season at Texas A&M, is up to 276 pounds as he seeks a breakout campaign on the interior.
White played 10 snaps in Penn State’s season-opening 46-11 victory over Nevada, according to Pro Football Focus, and made one tackle in his first in-game reps at defensive tackle. One game is a small sample size, but Penn State coach James Franklin believes White belongs on the interior.
“I think we have found a home for Enai White,” Franklin said. “We’re pretty athletic at defensive end, and so is Enai, but he’s 276 pounds right now, and he’s really not even trying to gain weight. I think if we can get him up to 285 by midseason, he’s going to be a really nice guy for us to factor into that rotation.”
Franklin said the switch to defensive tackle isn’t just the best move for this season, but for the future of his career. After hearing that, Penn State’s newest tackle is taking copious notes.
Veteran guard Anthony Donkoh said White asks questions throughout practice, inquiring with both offensive and defensive linemen about certain moves he tries and how he can improve on the inside.
“[Enai’s] really embraced that role. … He’s taking that step and embracing the fact that he got moved inside,” Donkoh said. “He talks to us about what he can do better or what we see when he’s doing a move, so he’s really taking that effort.”
As White learns his new position, he’ll have an experienced mentor in Zane Durant, a preseason Associated Press All-American who started all 16 games last season. The senior, who plays the same position, has been teammates with White for only a few months but already sees his potential as an interior defensive lineman.
“He has tremendous upside at defensive tackle, and he’s always asking Coach questions and trying to get better and learn,” Durant said. “I feel like he could be dominant pretty quickly.”
Durant sees the vision. White has the size and skill to produce at defensive tackle, and on a Penn State team known for churning out NFL-caliber defensive-line prospects, he’s found himself in a position to showcase his talent.
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White doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, though. He understands that position changes can take time, especially this late into one’s college career.
That’s where Franklin’s “1-0” mentality has taken charge. White has embraced the slow, methodical approach to improvement since stepping onto Penn State’s campus and says he plans to lean on that mentality as the 2025 season continues.
“We’re taking it day by day,” White said. “I’ve really embraced the 1-0 mentality. I really love that, just taking it one day at a time, and everything else speaks for itself.”