Detroit Lions Draft Profile: Linebacker Devin White

As the NFL draft gets closer with each week, SideLion Report will be previewing potential draftees for the Detroit Lions. This week, we look at Devin White.

As the Detroit Lions‘ version of the Super Bowl (AKA the NFL Draft) quickly approaches, it becomes that glorious time of year when Lions’ fans watch highlight tapes and dream of yesterday’s college football stars being the Lions of tomorrow.

While there are many offensive issues to be addressed for the team this offseason, in early mock drafts, the Cardiac Cats have been chosen to take players on the defensive side of the ball.

As good as the Detroit secondary was this past season, this football team could use another playmaking linebacker that can both fill the A gap and stuff the run, while also being able to drop into pass coverage or be a pain in the backfield.

These areas are where Louisiana State linebacker Devin White could help the Lions. The 6 foot 1, 240 pound ball of muscle has a ton of experience dominating the SEC, and could bring his sensational linebacker talents to Detroit come April.

Some of the best linebackers in the NFL succeed in the front seven because they know how to think like a running back. Being that White was a four-star running back prospect out of Louisiana, he knows to fill holes quickly and pursue to the edge just like a good runner does.

White was nominated was a slew of awards in his three years with the Tigers, including most recently being on the short list for the Butkus Award Watch List, Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, and the Bednarik Award Watch List, proving to be one of the best linebackers in college football.

White is not only nominated for awards, as he’s also won a multitude of awards in his time at Louisiana State, including being named the 2018 Butkis award winner as the nation’s best linebacker, the 2017 Team MVP, being named to the 2017 All-SEC First Team (via the Coaches poll, AP), 2017 Second team All-America (via FWAA, USA Today).

If White’s impact to LSU has not already been made clear, he has statistics to back up all these awards, as he’s totaled 286 total tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in his three seasons sporting the purple and gold by Bourbon Street, including 123 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three sacks coming in his most recent season.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted that the Lions will draft White in his most recent mock draft, as he excited to see what White could do in the NFL when paired with current Lions linebacker and former first round draft pick Jarrad Davis. Here’s what Kiper had to say about White according to DetroitLions.com.

"“White is a fly-to-the-football linebacker with similar athletic traits as Detroit middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, who was taken in the first round in 2017. The two could form a stellar tandem, as both are three-down linebackers.”"

Adding White to this Lions squad gives Patricia another cog in his defensive machine to play with, as he could be used to both rush the passer or drop back in coverage.

White’s main strength on the defensive is stuffing the run, as well as making sure opponents don’t covert on third down. If all things go well, White could be a new-and-improved version of Stephen Tulloch, known for stopping opponents on third down and consistently making tackles in opponents’ backfields.

Pairing White with Lions linebackers Davis and Devon Kennard takes a decent young core and makes it even better, as White’s speed, explosiveness and top notch tackling could turn the back seven of the Lions defense one to fear throughout the NFC.