2019 NFL Mock Draft: Projected first round after college football season

Devin White bucked the trend of his teammates and numerous others who skip bowl games to avoid a potential injury by playing in the Fiesta Bowl against UCF. White led a depleted LSU defense to a lot of success against the high-powered Knights offense. He managed eight tackles and forced a fumble as the Tigers held UCF to just 250 yards of total offense, well below their season average.

White’s efforts helped LSU get their 10th win, and ended UCF’s nation-leading winning streak in the process, further cementing himself as the draft’s top linebacker.

White is the evolution of the linebacker position to fit the era of up-tempo spread offenses. He can be a thumper in the run game, but he’s got tremendous speed that helps him move from sideline-to-sideline, as well as holding up in coverage against backs and receivers. He would be a steal with this pick, and is likely a guy whose stock will only boost after the combine.

Vontaze Burfict’s latest concussion puts his NFL future in doubt, but regardless on his status moving forward, adding a playmaking linebacker is a must for this offseason. Cincinnati ranked 29th in the NFL in run defense in 2018. A speedy, rangy linebacker like White would be an immediate upgrade at the position, likely becoming a day-one starter for the Bengals.

If White is off the board when the Bengals pick, they are likely to seriously consider Devin Bush from Michigan, who is a similar player to White, although not quite on the same level as the LSU All-American. They could also look for help in the secondary or on the offensive line as well.