With round 4 pick 30, the New England Patriots drafted cornerback Jonathan Wilhite (that's Jonathan on the left, batting away a pass). A very solid defensive back at Auburn, he registered 101 tackles, 77 of those solos. Hauntingly enough, he was picked in the EXACT same draft spot as another New England favorite, Asante Samuel and has this to say about Asante's influence on him:
"Absolutely. I like him from watching the football games. I think he is a great guy and a great corner as I’ve watched on TV. I don’t believe getting picked in the same place [means anything], I just want to bring what I can bring to the table to help the Patriots win."
Reading Mike Reiss's blog entry on Jonathan , you'll find him to be incredibly humble and humbled by his new gig with the Patriots. When asked for his thoughts on being drafted by the Patriots, he had this to say:
"It’s a blessing. To be a fan of the Patriots, to actually get in and see Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Rodney Harrison and all the guys I look up to and just to get in and play and practice with these guys is just wonderful. It’s a blessing I thank God for."
Cornerback is becoming a very crowded position with 6 others vying for a spot:
Fernando Bryant
Ellis Hobbs
Mike Richardson
Lewis Sanders
Jason Webster
Terrence Wheatley
Considered undersized for the position, he makes up for it by excelling at zone coverage and should be a great fit for the type of defense the Patriots play. If anything has been proven on the Patriots, it's that size and physicality is a small piece of the puzzle. It's work ethic, ability and listening to the veterans around you.
Congratulations Jonathan and welcome to the New England Patriots.