Former NFL Scout Endorses Keion White Over Will Anderson Jr.

Game film says Georgia Tech’s Keion White belongs in the first-round. Not only does he belong in the first-round, but as someone who sat across from Bill Belichick and convinced him to hire me in the Jets’ Pro Scouting Department, give me White over Will Anderson Jr. White also outweighs Anderson by 43 pounds (286 vs. 243).

This Yellow Jackets’ edge rusher is one hell of a brute who brings it.

Opinions at First Round Mock don’t just come out of thin air – – and sometimes we agree with the national narratives, and often we don’t – – because game film drives everything here. Kudos to Bucky Brooks of NFL.com for putting White on my radar to begin with. Spot on.

Seeing that is what promoted me to look into White in the first place.

Sure enough, White showed up as a dominant force in the five games reviewed (plus Senior Bowl footage embedded below). Although, a very raw dominant force, a dominant pass rushing force none-the-less, and that’s what it’s all about finding in today’s pass-happy NFL.

Brute alpha power

That’s the number one thing that excites me about White as an evaluator.

This dude has an authoritative bull-rush.

Although he is raw and under-developed in terms of pass-rush tool usage when considering his full-body of work (which is the super exciting part), he still holds his own in the here and now.

Despite a lack of pass rush polish, boy oh boy, White can press creases and collapse the pocket. Give this guy an inch and he’ll take the sack.

Allow me to clarify

Although White gets hung out to dry like clothes on a clothes line when he chooses not to deploy his tool box full of pass-rush moves, he still shows more pass rush moves than Anderson, who either bull-rushes or stalls out on the edge.

White has flashed a spin, swim, rip-and-go, and head fake.

It’s in there, it’s just going to take time and development, but still it’s more than Anderson is bringing to the draft party.

Open field adjustments

The number two thing that draws me to White is his impressive ability shown to adjust in the pocket and make quick adjustments out in space.

This is where White leaves Anderson and his rigidity behind.

Several times on game film, White showed the ability to track down quarterbacks in the pocket who were trying to elude oncoming pass rushers, and he showed the ability to effectively hunt out on the perimeter in space.

My kind of guy.

Quarterback minded

White wants to get to the quarterback.

That’s apparent.

He also wants to do it consistently. White shows a lot of get up and go and he has such an appetite to get to the quarterback sometimes he about tackles him even when he doesn’t have the ball anymore.

Playing the run

White is not just one of these “one trick pass rush ponies,” either, he also has shown he can play the run effectively and deliver some wicked and devastating blows.

No question, this is a three-down edge who excels in all aspects of the position.

White plays the run in ways Anderson just has not shown on game film in 2022.

#6 Keion White 6-foot-5, 286 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

First Round Mock Big Board: TBD

Bust Probability: Low

Projected by 9.3% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 4, 2023

2021 game film reviewed: Georgia (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 game film reviewed: Clemson, North Carolina, FSU, Duke, and Senior Bowl practice

2022 stats: 54 tackles (29 tackles and 25 assists), 7.5 sacks (40 pressures nfldraftbuzz.com), 1 pass defended

Note: Missed the first 8 games of the 2021 season with a broken ankle

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Thick and muscular edge with long arms, strong want and good close. Active and delivers raw power at the point of attack. Battering ram. Inconsistent hand usage and use of pass rush moves. Can bend the edge and occasionally stunt or slip into gaps to blow things up. Majority of pass rush reps scored positive or neutral. Has ability to come off blocks and deliver solid wrapping form tackles against the run. Force against the run and often in the picture. Can rip through the line. Loves to throw his weight around.

Final words

White is a difference maker.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.