This might be another tough season for the New England Patriots.
While the expectation is that this team will improve from the final years of the Bill Belichick era, they still have some issues to address.
For starters, young players will have to step up and continue with their development, and they should get plenty of opportunities to do so.
That might be particularly true for a second-year defender who has turned plenty of heads during OTAs.
Speaking to the media, Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo raved about edge rusher Keion White, admitting that he’s been quite surprised with him and his dedication during the offseason program (via Carlos Talks Pats).
#Patriots HC Jerod Mayo singled out Keion White when asked if anyone has been a pleasant surprise so far.
“Keion’s doing a good job for us and I would say also, Keion’s kinda taking that step forward as far as being a leader. Not as much vocally, but you see him actually leading… pic.twitter.com/776c9AHebn
— Carlos Talks Pats (@LosTalksPats) May 29, 2024
Mayo praised White not only for the way he performed and worked but also for stepping up as a leader of the defense.
He said that White has been leading by example.
The second-year pro was a second-round pick out of Georgia Tech last season.
He played 49% of the defensive snaps in his first campaign, logging 26 tackles, three tackles for a loss, three passes defended, one sack, and five quarterback hits.
The Patriots clearly need help all over the board, but their defense should continue to be their calling card early in Mayo’s tenure.
With White, Matthew Judon, Joshua Uche, and Deatrich Wise stepping up, there’s a chance this team could be better than expected, and while making the playoffs is almost out of the question right now, they could at least play spoiler in one of the league’s most competitive divisions.
