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The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of the 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
A priority for Brian Gutekunst this offseason is strengthening Green Bay’s pass rush. Even before Rashaan Gary’s season-ending injury, Green Bay’s pass rush lacked juice.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers generated just 256 snaps last season, which ranked third in the NFC North.
One player who could give Green Bay’s pass rush a shot in the arm is Keon White. The Georgia Tech pass rusher came in at No. 19 on Unpacking’s Future Packers countdown.
White, a three-star recruit who played tight end and defensive end in high school, began his college career at Old Dominion as a tight end. In the year In 2019, White moved to the defensive side of the ball and responded with 62 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one interception.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Old Dominion canceled the 2020 football season and White transferred to Georgia Tech. White played in just four games during his first season at Georgia Tech due to injuries.
“When he first came in, he came off a season where he had 19.0 tackles in a loss to Old Dominion,” said From the Rumble site associate manager Benjamin Tankerley. “Naturally, expectations were incredibly high for White. Georgia Tech hadn’t had a good pass rush in nearly a decade and fans were excited to play for the first time in 2021. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined for the rest of the season with an injury that looks set to keep him out.
White finished his collegiate career in voice. He had a two-sack game against Clemson last season and finished the year with 54 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
“Expectations were incredibly low across the board because of Georgia Tech’s lack of success,” Tankerley said. “In the first game against Clemson, White scored two sacks and came back with a vengeance. Although the results weren’t what we wanted, Tech fans saw some potential last year with the transfer of Keon White. Heading into the season, White became a consistent force on the defensive line, garnering attention as a first-round draft prospect.
White has a unique blend of size and speed. It’s a big reason Whyte is No. 20 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List this summer. With his frame and natural athleticism, it’s easy to spot him on tape.
“I think White is incredibly gifted physically,” Tankerley said. He measured 6-foot-5, 285 pounds at the NFL Combine, but oftentimes, he looked like he played like a small man, showing off his athleticism.
White is a tight end defensive lineman. He has a lot of power in his 6-5 frame and good length (34-inch arms). He hits with power and does a good job of converting speed into power. He may not always return home, but he consistently found the quarterback this past season. According to PFF, White finished last season with 41 pressures to go along with his 7.5 sacks.
“White is a great energy booster,” Tankerley said. “He’s quick and catches offensive linemen off guard. He shows great ability to move and make tackles or slide by offensive linemen while on the line.
White does a good job of aligning the edge with the run using the length. He has good range and quickness to chase ball carriers out of the backfield. He is powerful at the point of attack with strong hands. With a little quickness, he was able to hit the gap to disrupt the movement in the backfield.
“White can handle the run very well,” Tankerley said. “I don’t have a specific stat to point to, but I don’t remember a time when more ball carriers broke the ball he was on. He also made a living in the backyard. Check out his 2019 stats. You don’t get 19 tackles for loss with just 3.5 sacks by being bad against the run.
Match the packaging
Where would White line up if he landed with the Packers? The riders can see him as a stand-up edge rusher. There is no doubt that White has the athleticism to play with Gary at outside linebacker.
You can see him as a defensive lineman whose quickness can beat interior linemen.
Finally, Joe Barry could be the player to rotate the front seven. It’s third and eight and the Packers deploy Kenny Clark, Gary, Preston Smith and White. It’s an impressive team on paper.
“It’s big, it’s fast, and it’s mean,” Tankerley said. “To give more to a worthy cause, he’s shown that when he’s healthy he can compete at a strong level and his season at Old Dominion wasn’t just a season. He had some good games against some pretty tough ACC teams this season, like getting three sacks against UNC. No matter where it ends up, that team is getting a solid pick.
With his athleticism and positional versatility, White will no doubt appeal to Gutekunst. White brings juice to Green Bay’s front seven, which can make an immediate impact in the passing game.
Once the Aaron Rodgers trade goes through, they will likely have several second-round picks. It wouldn’t be a shock if one of those picks ended up being the Georgia Tech pass rusher.
Story first appeared on Packers Wire
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