Garner’s Keion White hears name called in NFL Draft. So do NC State, UNC linemen
A one-time tight end with few offers to play college football, Garner’s Keion White landed with one of the NFL’s most successful franchises as his improbable journey to professional football culminated Friday night.
The New England Patriots selected White in the second round with the No. 46 overall pick after he was a third-team, all-ACC pick at defensive end with Georgia Tech last season.
A tight end and defensive end during his younger days at Garner High School, White began his college career at Old Dominion. He started eight games at tight end as a redshirt freshman in 2018 before transitioning to a full-time defensive end the following season.
After making second-team, all-Conference USA in 2019 when he recorded 19 tackles for loss, White transferred to Georgia Tech in 2020. He continued his success in two seasons with the Yellow Jackets even though an offseason injury cost him eight games during the 2021 season.
Last fall, White recorded 14 tackles for loss, including 7.5 sacks. His breakout game came close to home when, on Nov. 19 at North Carolina, he logged seven tackles, including three sacks, in Georgia Tech 21-17 win over the Tar Heels.
Now he’s heading to New England, where the Patriots have won six Super Bowls -- all since the 2001 season.
“Keion’s a guy that really came on this year at Tech,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Friday night. “You know, he was injured last year, had a pretty productive career at Old Dominion then transferred in and missed part of the season last year but had a really good year this year in ‘22.”
Elsewhere in the draft, North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs was the only player from N.C. State, Duke or the Tar Heels who was selected in the first three rounds. Downs went to Indianapolis in the third round Friday night.
Here are the players from those schools who were selected Saturday in rounds 4-7.
Chandler Zavala
A first-team, all-ACC guard for the Wolfpack last season when he played in 12 games, Zavala recovered well from the back injury that limited him to five games in 2021. The Carolina Panthers took him Saturday in the fourth round.
The 6-3, 322-pound Zavala worked his way to the NFL after starting his career at Division II Fairmont State (W.Va) in 2017 when a knee injury limited him to three games.
After gaining 60 pounds between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Zavala became an all-conference lineman in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to N.C. State for the 2021 season.
Zavala’s selection means the Wolfpack have had at least one player picked in eight consecutive NFL Drafts. That includes three first-round picks in defensive end Bradley Chubb (2018, Denver), center Garrett Bradbury (2019, Minnesota) and offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (2022, Carolina).
The Wolfpack have now had five offensive linemen drafted in the past eight drafts.
Asim Richards
The former North Carolina tackle was selected in the fifth round Saturday by the Dallas Cowboys. Richards was the No. 35 pick in the fifth round, which made him the 169th player selected overall.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be a Cowboy,” Richards said in a statement released by UNC. “I’ve worked hard to achieve this dream, but I can’t stop now because I want to have a long and successful career. I appreciate the Cowboys showing their faith in me and I won’t let them down.”
UNC head coach Mack Brown was effusive in his praise for one of the first players he recruited when he returned to Chapel Hill.
“We’re thrilled for Asim and his family,” Brown said in a release. “Asim was a key piece of our initial recruiting class when returned to Chapel Hill and he’s just gotten better and better during his career. He started 38 of his last 39 games for us, which shows how reliable and dependable he’s been. It’s been fun watching him grow as a player and a person, and we think he has a bright future ahead of him. The Cowboys got a good one and I can’t wait to watch him play on Sundays.”
The 6-4, 315-pound Richards, from Philadelphia, started all 14 games for UNC last season and was named third-team, all-ACC.
This is the seventh consecutive year at least two Tar Heels have been selected in the NFL Draft.
Antoine Green
Detroit selected the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Green with the second pick of the seventh round, making him the 219th overall selection.
“This is such a special moment for me and my family,” Green said in a UNC release. “There have been so many ups and downs during my career, but I knew if I kept working, anything was possible. And, now, here we are. I have my degree from North Carolina and I’ve been drafted by the Lions. I can’t thank my mom, the rest of my family and my girl enough for the way they’ve supported me.”
As a fifth-year senior last season for UNC, Green was a third-team, all-ACC performer who caught 43 passes for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the Tar Heels with 18.56 yards per catch.
“I’m really proud and happy for Antoine,” Brown said in a release. “When we returned to Carolina, he was in the middle of recovering from a tough injury, and it was uncertain whether he’d return to form. Over time, he regained his confidence and that showed over his final two seasons. We feel like he’s just going to keep getting better and better as he moves through his career and we can’t wait to watch him perform for the Lions.”
Raymond Vohasek
A defensive tackle who played only five games for UNC last season due to injury, Vohasek was selected in the seventh round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. They took him with the 10th pick of the round, No. 227 overall.
“I’m so happy right now,” Vohasek said in a UNC release. “I wasn’t sure how this weekend would go coming off of injury, but all I needed was a shot. I want to thank Jacksonville for having faith in me and giving me this opportunity. I can promise the Jaguars they are going to get my all.”
The 6-3, 310-pound Vohasek played four seasons with the Tar Heels, making all-ACC honorable mention in 2021 when he started 13 games and recorded four tackles for losses, with a sack and and four quarterback hurries.
Vohasek’s selection gave UNC four players picked in the draft for the second consecutive year.
“We couldn’t be more excited for Ray and his family,” Brown said in a release. “Ray came in with us when we returned to Chapel Hill and just worked his tail off. He’s a tough, hard-nosed player that gives everything he’s got, and as a result, was a disruptive, productive player along the defensive line. We can’t wait to watch him go to work with the Jaguars.
This story was originally published April 29, 2023 at 12:54 PM.