He was contemplating whether to go to Auburn, Alabama, Cal, Florida, Florida State or Troy, but Jawara “RaRa” White committed to play for the Auburn University Tigers Monday.

White will now finish up his career at Charles Henderson with the weight of choosing a school off of his shoulders.

“I can’t say there was a lot of stress, but it was definitely a lot of pressure,” White said. “There is a lot of stuff that I now don’t have to worry about. It is over with and now I can get focused on the season. I knew the season was about to get started, so I wanted to do this so that it wouldn’t interfere with our season.”

The 6-2, 220-pound athlete has been fielding offers since his sophomore season at CHHS and he took the unofficial visits, but he decided Auburn was the place for him for a couple reasons.

“One, it felt like home,” White said. “Two, they have a great coaching staff and they are God-fearing people. And three and foremost, their players are very respectable and great guys to be around.”

White is a multiple threat on the football field from many positions for the CHHS Trojans, but he will narrow his focus to linebacker when he sets foot on the Plains.

CHHS head coach Hugh Fountain said there is a lot to like in White.

“He is a hard worker and he has the speed to go with his size,” Fountain said. “He is 220, but he is the leading receiver in Charles Henderson school history. That tells you what kind of athlete he is.”

Fountain said already having a former Trojan at Auburn would help White in the transition phase.

“Zac has a lot of influence here with the kids because they all love him,” Fountain said. “He comes back home and when our kids go to Auburn they get treated like royalty by Zac. And he texted RaRa today before we came in here and told him to stay humble, give God the credit and love you family first and foremost. And that is awesome stuff.”

As far as family is concerned, White thanked his parents during his speech and Kathy and Ben White sat at the head table to watch their son commit to Auburn.

“Of all the places that he visited and all the people he talked to, Auburn has always been on his heart,” Kathy White said. “He always liked the family atmosphere and he really feels at home there.”

Ben White did not try to make Jawara’s college choice for him. He said he let his son choose his own path.

“I told him, ‘Wherever you do decide to go I want you to do your best,’” he said. “The main thing is that he acts how his mother and I raised him to act wherever he goes. Football is good, but you are really going for is to get your college degree.

Click here for a photo gallery from White’s commitment press conference