After reportedly exploring trades up up Friday morning, the Patriots stayed pat with their first pick in the second round.

Their patience was rewarded with another rare athlete to boost Bill Belichick’s defense.

The Pats selected Georgia Tech defensive lineman Keion White with the 46th overall pick Friday, a 6-foot-5, 285-pounder with immense power and versatility. White addresses a sneaky need for the Patriots, who have edge defenders Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings entering contract years and veteran outside linebacker Matt Judon turning 31 this summer. White is one of the most powerful and explosive edge defenders in this draft with untapped potential, having entered college as a tight end and only played defense since 2019.

Last season, White led Georgia Tech with 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. In 2020, he transferred from Old Dominion, where he played tight end for most of his career. He was an oft-injured backup for the Yellow Jackets in 2021, then burst onto the scene with strong edge-setting and raw pass-rush power last year.

At the NFL combine, White tested as one of the best athletes for his position in recent years. He blazed a 4.76 in the 40-yard dash, cranked out 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press and recorded two of the best marks in the vertical and broad jumps. In college, White used that athleticism to both drop into space, run with running backs and power through offensive tackles.

The 24-year-old’s immediate role in New England is unclear, but White’s physical traits and college production (33 TFLs in 28 games) indicate he could become a long-term cornerstone with some development.