Top NFL pick Devin White to attend PurpleHull Pea Festival

Former LSU linebacker Devin White is pictured in an April 25, 2019, Associated Press photo after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected the Cullen, La., native fifth overall at the NFL football draft held in Nashville, Tenn. The North Webster High School alum is set to visit and participate in the Emerson PurpleHull Pea Festival on Saturday, June 29.
Former LSU linebacker Devin White is pictured in an April 25, 2019, Associated Press photo after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected the Cullen, La., native fifth overall at the NFL football draft held in Nashville, Tenn. The North Webster High School alum is set to visit and participate in the Emerson PurpleHull Pea Festival on Saturday, June 29.

A former LSU football All-American and the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft is set to appear and participate at Emerson’s upcoming PurpleHull Pea Festival. The event is set to take place Saturday, June 29.

The standout linebacker is no stranger to the area. He is a Cullen, La., native, and played football and graduated from North Webster High School in Springhill, La.

On Tuesday evening, the Pea Festival’s official Facebook account announced that White will not only attend next Saturday’s Emerson event, but participate in the World Championship Pea Shelling Competition as well. The shelling contest is set to begin at 11: 15 a.m. the morning of the festival.

Standing 6 feet and weighing nearly 240 pounds, the consensus 2018 All-American and Butkus award-winner as the nation’s top linebacker was known for his speed and intensity while playing for the Tigers.

White in high school played both linebacker and running back and was a highly-touted prospect. He was heavily recruited by the Arkansas Razorback staff led by former head coach Bret Bielema, as well as Alabama, Florida State, numerous others. The Webster Parish native ultimately chose to remain in his home state and play for LSU.

In April, he was drafted fifth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL draft held in Nashville, Tenn.

The north Louisiana-born athletic star is also an avid horseman. He was noted after the draft as saying he planned to move all of his beloved horses with him from Baton Rouge, La., to Tampa, Fla. On May 31, he even wished his favorite horse, a mare named Daisy Mae, happy birthday.

White is not the only area celebrity expected to attend Emerson’s PurpleHull Pea Festival. On Tuesday, the event also announced that reporter Maranda Whittington of KSLA 12 in Shreveport will serve as the “Grand Pea Marshal” of the Million Tiller Parade to take place June 29 at 1 p.m. The event serves as a lead up to the festival’s highlight event, the World Championship Rotary Tiller Race.

Founded in 1990, this year will be the 30th hosting of the race. This year will also mark the third year of its Riblet Cook-Off slated to take place at 6 p.m., June 29. Tickets are $10. For more information on the cook-off, call 870-904-4836 or 870-299-2211.

The festival also contains other events, including a kid’s fishing derby to be held Saturday, June 22, at 8 a.m. at Mullins Pond and the Miss PurpleHull Pea Pageant at Emerson High School on the same day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For all other events and festival information, visit www.purplehull.com.

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