It's hard to believe that it's already been two months since Mike Vrabel was named the 16th head coach in New England Patriots history. The former linebacker-turned-coach has since spent time connecting with Patriots players, coaches, and executives, making it interesting to see if he's the right man to lead the franchise back to prominence.
Even though the last few years have been rough, the Patriots still boast several talented players on both sides of the ball. Vrabel has made it abundantly clear that he's looking forward to working with a handful of those playmakers, including one of the team's rising defenders.
Patriots News: Mike Vrabel Excited to Work With DE Keion White
On Thursday, Vrabel was interviewed by Chris Long on the former Patriots pass rusher's "Green Light" podcast. The 49-year-old HC took some time to list the players he's excited to work with, and went out of his way to highlight defensive end Keion White as one of the top names.
"(I'm) excited about Keion White and his ability to continue to work on his technique. He’s such a talented athlete with size," Vrabel told Long. "If we can continue to refine some of this technique, that really is gonna help him. You know how technical the position can be."
Between his time as an NFL defender and head coach, Vrabel has spent a lot of time around some of football's top EDGE players. So, the fact that he had nothing but high praise for White shows just how much he respects the 26-year-old disruptor despite having yet to play a game together.
After a breakout performance at Georgia Tech, White was drafted 46th overall by the Patriots in 2023. He ended up playing in a backup role as a rookie, registering 12 solo tackles, three defended passes, and a sack while playing 521 defensive snaps across 16 games (4 starts).
The solid first-year performance earned White a bigger role in Year 2. His snap count skyrocketed to 829 in 17 outings (13 starts), resulting in 31 solo tackles, five sacks, five disrupted passes, and a pair of forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus awarded him a mark of 68.5 for his overall defensive efforts, as well as a 76.7 pass rush grade — the 20th-best performance among exterior defenders.
During his time as Tennessee Titans HC, Vrabel coached defensive linemen Jurrell Casey and Jeffery Simmons to Pro Bowl and All-Pro seasons. Hopefully, he can have a similar impact on White, who's shaping up to be one of the Patriots' most important defenders.
Unlocking the former 2023 second-rounder's full potential could be the key to New England returning to the NFL playoffs. For now, the Patriots are currently projected for 7.5 wins in 2025 with the Over being favored at -120 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, meaning a postseason return isn't out of the question.
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