Patriots: Overlooked but not forgotten
There's a lot to like about how the Pats have built their defensive line, but I thought the addition of Georgia Tech star Keion White - in the second round, mind you - was perfect. He's a rare athlete on the edge, checking in at a lean 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, with a sub-4.8-second 40. White should have a huge impact on New England's defensive line right away.
Combine him with linebackers Josh Uche (11.5 sacks) and Matthew Judon (15.5 sacks), rising star Christian Barmore (a 2021 second-rounder and All-Rookie selection out of Alabama), Deatrich Wise Jr. (7.5 sacks), and Davon Godchaux (who signed a two-year, $20.8-million extension last offseason), and New England's first two levels will create all sorts of problems.
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Further: Think about the QBs they'll face in this division - Tua, Allen, and now Aaron Rodgers - and you can argue that nothing is more important for this defense.
My favorite White stat is his pass-rush win rate of 19.6% in 2023, per PFF. That's the
exact same number as Alabama's two-time Nagurski winner and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Will Anderson Jr., who went third in the draft to the Texans.
A powerful combination of
size, length, and quickness, White has the temperament of the quintessential Patriot; he's not flashy, nor does he say a whole lot. Not only was he overlooked in the draft, but the North Carolina native received scant interest as a two-star prep recruit before playing two seasons at tight end (he redshirted as a freshman) for FCS Old Dominion, ultimately making the switch to defense and amassing 19 tackles for a loss as a redshirt sophomore.
Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft may have hit the draft lottery once again.
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