Keion White ready to help replace Matthew Judon on the field, just not off of it

White was New England’s second-round pick in this year’s draft.

It didn’t take long for New England Patriots fans to realize Keion White is a rather chill individual. After his name was called by New England in the second-round of the NFL Draft, White’s rather stoic reaction quickly went viral.

So, when it comes to now replacing the boisterous Matthew Judon — who underwent surgery on Wednesday for a biceps injury — White knows he won’t help in one certain area.

“I mean, I don’t know if anybody noticed, but I’m not a big energy guy,” White told reporters in the locker room on Wednesday. “I kind of just play the next play and just do my job. So, yeah, we’re different in that sense.”

The area White can help, however, is on the field. And while both White and Jerod Mayo acknowledged that Judon cannot be replaced with just one individual, his coach alluded towards the rookie playing a large part in that role.

“Keion’s going to play more,” Mayo said on Tuesday. “He’s going to play more, simply said. And we really need him to show up.”

Despite playing nearly just one-third of New England’s defensive snaps through the first four weeks, White has showed up early. He has piled up six quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, and flashes the physicality you’d expect from a 6-foot-5, 290 pound lineman.

While there is areas of improvement, White should be at the top of the list for increased snaps where he will get plenty of chances to continue to develop and showcase his physicality in Judon’s absence.

“Playing physical, or at least trying too,” he explained. “Definitely have to clean up a lot of techniques and things where I’m like reading the wrong blocks and the wrong keys. But, just trying to be physical first and foremost is a big thing — especially as a D-lineman.”