Offseason Standout Named Patriots’ Breakout Player of 2024…
Defensive lineman Keion White is a player to watch this season for the New England Patriots. The team, now under the leadership of new head coach Jerod Mayo, aims to improve after a challenging 2023 season with only four wins.
While Mayo’s task is daunting, he has a talented defense comprising both veterans and young players. One notable young player is second-year defensive end Keion White, who could significantly impact this season.
Drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Georgia Tech, White played 49 percent of defensive snaps, recording 26 combined tackles, five quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, pass deflections, and a sack. Mayo has been impressed with White’s leadership during spring workouts, and Patriots Wire’s Jordan McCoy highlights White as a potential breakout player this season.
“Second-year defensive end Keion White has been one of the biggest standouts in the spring practices. He’s playing with more confidence, and according to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, he’s accepted more of a leadership role on the team. On the field, White is an explosive playmaker with the ability to make far more noise off the edge than he did as a rookie. Having a healthy Matthew Judon to work with should do wonders for his overall game. White was a second-round draft pick for the Patriots in 2023, but some draft analysts believed he had first-round talent. This could be the year he proves those projections as true.”
The Patriots’ defensive line remains unchanged this offseason, with high expectations for White to be a key playmaker alongside Matt Judon. If Judon stays healthy and the Patriots get strong pressure up the middle from Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux, White should benefit from one-on-one opportunities.
With the Patriots’ offense still developing, a significant season from White is crucial for improving upon the defense’s 36-sack performance in 2023.
