Imhotep’s Enai White on Nick Saban’s comments and NIL deals at Texas A&M: ‘None of that stuff is true’

When Alabama football coach Nick Saban accused Texas A&M of having “bought every player” on its No. 1-ranked 2022 recruiting class through name, image, and likeness deals, he ignited a conflict between Southeastern Conference programs.

Saban’s comments cast doubt on the legitimacy of Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher’s recruiting tactics. They also opened up a news cycle around NIL, and one of the Aggies’ top incoming freshmen found himself at the center of it.

Imhotep Charter edge rusher Enai White is a four-star recruit and the No. 2 player in the state. White committed to Texas A&M on national signing day in December, picking the Aggies over a list of schools that included Alabama.

» READ MORE: Enai White signing lifts Texas A&M to the No. 1 class

A 6-foot-5, 230-pound defensive end, White was recruited heavily by Saban. That prior relationship with Saban made his comments even more surprising to White.

“He didn’t single anybody out, but he said the recruiting class as a whole, and it was crazy,” White said Tuesday. “Coach Nick Saban recruited me at one time, I actually was in his home, he came down [to Imhotep].

“It was very crazy to me. Coach Nick Saban usually gets his way in his recruiting world. … I’m not knocking anything. I just felt like he didn’t get his way, and he said what he said. None of that stuff is true. I haven’t received any NIL deals from Texas A&M.”

The morning after Saban’s comments, Fisher called an impromptu press conference to both defend his program and clap back at Saban. Fisher, who served as an assistant to Saban at LSU from 2000 to 2004, held nothing back in refuting Saban’s claims that Texas A&M had bought players. He also dismissed notions that NIL would ruin parity in college football.

Fisher’s comments resonated with White and his Texas A&M teammates.

“That’s something I’ve already known Coach Fisher would do,” White said. “The relationship I have with Coach Fisher, I know what type of head coach he is, and he always is there to back up his guys. That’s exactly what he displayed doing that, and I could just applaud him for it.”

The Saban-Fisher saga has also gotten White and his teammates excited to get to work on this season, particularly in preparation for Texas A&M’s Oct. 8 game in Tuscaloosa.

“That’s the talk of the school right now,” White said. “Like, when we play them, it’s going to be what it’s going to be. It already was that because we beat them last year. So, this stuff is just building the game up.”

» READ MORE: Imhotep standout Enai White wants to use football to make a ‘generational change’ for his family

Saban’s comments weren’t the only NIL-related topic that White had to dismiss. Last week, it was reported that White withdrew from playing in the Big 33 Football Classic in Harrisburg due to the risk of NIL money being withheld if he had participated.

White has been removed from the Big 33 roster and will no longer play, but he said he was forced to do so due to a scheduling conflict: He’s scheduled to leave for Texas A&M on May 29, and the Big 33 game is the following day.

“I really wanted to play in the Big 33,” White said. “The Big 33 is a great experience, not everybody can do it. I appreciate all the alumni that played in there, my host family that was assigned for me. I really wanted to do it, I just couldn’t due to me leaving for college.”

White took to Twitter after the report was released to dismiss its legitimacy.

“They’re saying stuff that I don’t even know what’s happening, so it’s shocking to me,” White said.

Said Imhotep head coach Devon Johnson, who’s an assistant coach on the Big 33 Classic’s Team Pennsylvania: “I don’t know how that report came out; it was 1,000% false. But Enai, in typical Enai fashion, just handed it gracefully like he always does, stayed above it, and didn’t let it get down on him.”

A Big 33 spokesman declined comment.

With just days until White leaves to begin his football career at Texas A&M, he is hoping to put the NIL-related discussion behind him. In his eyes, focusing first on football got him to College Station, and it will be focusing on football that helps him thrive there.

“I’m a football player,” he said. “I’m not here to take any NIL deals. That stuff will come in the NFL. I wasn’t even preparing myself for NIL when I played football. … All I want to do is get to work and do what I got to do.”