After taking cornerback Christian Gonzalez with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Patriots stayed on the defensive side of the ball to start Day 2. With the 46th overall pick, the team selected Georgia Tech defensive end Keion White on Friday night.

This was exactly the range White was projected to go in this draft. We had the Patriots taking him in the second round in our final mock draft. He was also a Felger & Mazz Big Board pick.

• White is a standout athlete at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. He ran a 4.79 40 at his pro day after not running at the Combine, but did record a 34-inch vertical while putting up 30 reps on the bench in Indy.

  Last season at Georgia Tech, White recorded 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss  in 12 games. He earned third-team All-ACC honors with that performance.

  That was White’s first breakout season at the college level. Originally recruited as a tight end at Old Dominion, he switched to the defensive side of the ball as a sophomore in 2019, then transferred to Georgia Tech in 2021.

  Because White is new to the position, he is still learning the nuances and finer points of his role. But he’s already proven to be a quick learner. If he and the coaches can develop his technique to catch up with his strength and athleticism, he has a chance to be a real difference-maker on the edge on all three downs.

• In New England, White should have time to work on his game without being thrust into a major role right away. He’ll likely come in in a rotational role, but the team has just one edge defender – Matthew Judon – currently signed beyond 2024. Expect him to grow into a much more significant role in 2024.

  White is the fourth player selected out of Georgia Tech by Bill Belichick with the Patriots. The most recent and most successful was guard Shaq Mason, who the team took in the fourth round in 2015. 2014 sixth-round pick defensive back Jemea Thomas and 2009 seventh-round defensive tackle Darryl Richard are the others.

  The 46th pick was the Patriots’ lone scheduled second-round selection. They’re set to be back on the clock at 76th overall.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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