In the second round of the NFL Draft Friday night, the Patriots made their second defensive selection in as many picks when they took Georgia Tech defensive end Keion White. White is an outstanding Combine tester who profiled as a Patriots draft target from the beginning.
What can Patriots fans expect from the team’s latest addition to the front seven? Here’s what some of the top NFL Draft experts have to say about White.
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
“Athletic big man offering scheme versatility and projectable upside. White has good short-area quickness as well as speed in space. He lacks consistent early phase technique to control the rep, but his recovery talent, hustle and athletic traits put him in position to get in on the action. His pass rush is predictable and lacks focus, but he’s bendy and could take a big leap forward in this department provided the coaching catches up with the physical gifts. He’s still in the developmental phase, but his physical/athletic profile gives him a chance to become a plus starter as a 4-3 or 3-4 defensive end.”
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Damian Parson, The Draft Network
“Keion White was a consensus three-star recruit. Also, he was a two-way starter on both offense and defense. White played defensive end and tight end in high school. White spent the first three years of his career at Old Dominion University. After redshirting, White played tight end during the 2018 season before switching to defensive end in the spring of 2019. That season, White was productive and flashed big-time potential as a defensive prospect. He transferred to Georgia Tech in 2021 but missed the first eight games with an off-season basketball injury. 2022 was White’s breakout year as a full-time starter for the Yellow Jackets. White was also voted as a team captain this season.
White is a “hop off the bus” type of prospect. Meaning, he looks every bit like an NFL player and garners your attention immediately. White is an incredible athlete and moves in ways that a 290-pound human being should not be able to. There is a rep versus Virginia where White turns and runs with a running back down the sideline on a wheel route and was step-for-step with him. On tape, he can operate with his hand in the dirt or as a stand-up edge. White has the positional flexibility to reduce inside and pressure the quarterback from the interior. He possesses the power to soften edges and flatten angles to the football. White can drive blockers backward with his heavy punches and lower-body strength. White has a high motor and does not give up on plays.
White is a tantalizing prospect with so much untapped potential and upside. Being relatively new to the position leaves him a bit raw with his technique. White does not consistently use proper punch timing to strike blockers first and disrupt leveraging/balance. Due to the late hands, he allows blockers to gain initial contact, putting him behind the eight ball. I believe White has ample room to grow in terms of deconstructing blocks. On the edge, he has the capability to set hard edges but tends to work inside of the blocks, surrendering outside versus the run.
As an overall prospect, White brings an outstanding combination of physical size and athleticism. White is scheme versatile too—you can move him all over the defensive front line. As far as run defense is concerned, I believe you will get the best out of White by placing him on the edges—outside shade of offensive tackles and versus tight ends. He is still a work in progress from a technical standpoint. I can envision White being a developmental, yet, toolsy pass-rush prospect with a high ceiling.”
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Matt Holder, Bleacher Report
“Keion White is a late riser in this year’s class for a handful of reasons. Coming out of high school, he was recruited as a tight end and played at a Group of Five school, Old Dominion. He switched to the defensive line heading into his redshirt sophomore season and dominated but sat out the following year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
White eventually made his way to Georgia Tech, but an ankle injury constrained him to four games and a limited snap count during his first season with the Yellow Jackets. So, he had little to no buzz heading into the most recent campaign. However, that quickly changed.
The Garner, North Carolina, native showed off an impressive combination of strength and athleticism this past season that has NFL scouts and general managers drooling. He can win at the point of attack and moves so well that Georgia Tech trusted him to carry running backs on downfield routes in coverage at 285 pounds. Granted, he’s not athletic enough to do that at the next level.
The biggest issue with White is he’s definitely a “raw” prospect who has plenty of positive traits, but his technique is still a work in progress. That being said, with his profile, he can play up and down the defensive line, lining up as far inside as a 3-technique and as wide as a 5- or 7-technique, allowing him to fit into either even or odd fronts.”
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The @FelgerAndMazz Big Board hit on Keion White, with my analysis and player comp
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) April 29, 2023
(H/t @JimLouth for getting this turned around quick!) pic.twitter.com/Jvxsm0BiIcGabriel Santiago, DraftKings
“White has the sort of frame that would make any football scout give their undivided attention. At 6’5, 286 pounds, White is a raw force of nature coming off the edge. With imposing size, he is also boomingly explosive. White’s vertical leap of 34 inches and broad jump measuring at 9’9 is scary stuff—Simply, he is built to destroy any OC’s game plan. On the technique side, he still has more to learn. On film, it seems White has trouble identifying the offensive blocking scheme from time-to-time, but with his physical gifts, he’ll be able to make up for other mistakes.”
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Ian Cummings, The Draft Network
“Interestingly enough, White was a tight end when he began his career back at Old Dominion. His size and athleticism translated well at the position, but it translated even more effectively at defensive end.
White transitioned to DE in 2019 and ended up leading his team in tackles for loss with 19 that year. He was a second-team All-Conference USA honoree for his play and leveraged his performance into a transfer opportunity at Georgia Tech.
At Georgia Tech, White was similarly dominant at his peak. An ankle injury prevented him from showing it in 2021, but in 2022, White came back and logged 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, emerging as a true game-changer on the defensive front.
White’s production certainly backs up his projection. But looking at the tape, he has the tools to take on a lasting role in the NFL as well.”
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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 abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.
