The dream scenario didn’t happen for former Georgia Tech defensive end Keion White on Thursday night, but his wait to be drafted should be over Friday night, when the NFL draft resumes with the second and third rounds.
White was seen as a possible first-round pick after his standout season for the Yellow Jackets – the NFL invited him to the draft in Kansas City, Missouri, for that reason – but he was not among the four defensive ends selected, two of whom were taken among the final four picks of the round. Tech’s wait for its first first-round draft pick since 2010 (Derrick Morgan and Demaryius Thomas) will extend another year. Tech’s most recent second-round pick was in 2016 (Adam Gotsis).
White was among four of the 17 invitees to Kansas City who were not selected. A comment that White, who was a two-star prospect coming out of high school, made at the Tech Pro Day suggests that he was equipped to handle not being among the first 31 players picked.
“For me, I feel like at this point, I’m playing with house money,” White said affter his workout before scouts and coaches. “First round, second round, third round, I don’t care. Just to have the opportunity because I was so close to not playing college football is big for me. So wherever I get drafted, I’m not going to be one of those guys who’s disappointed because I fell or because I didn’t get drafted where everybody else thought I was.”
On Friday morning, ESPN rated him as the 16th best prospect remaining in the draft. Pro Football Focus had him 29th. NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah slotted him as the No. 4 remaining prospect. The second round begins at 7 p.m. ET.
Fiveof White’s Tech teammates – wide receivers Malachi Carter and E.J. Jenkins, linebackers Ayinde Eley and Charlie Thomas and running back Hassan Hall – are hopeful to be selected Saturday (rounds 4-7) or to sign as undrafted free agents.
About the Author
