Bears pick dynamic WR White in 1st round

Six weeks after the Chicago Bears traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall, they found his replacement Thursday night.

The Bears drafted West Virginia receiver Kevin White with the seventh overall pick of the NFL draft Thursday night. Not only could White replace Marshall, he stands to be an upgrade over the 31-year-old Marshall on and off the field.

The Bears drafted White instead of a top defensive prospect like Washington nose tackle Danny Shelton, who went No. 12 to the Cleveland Browns. It was the first draft pick of new general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox's tenure in Chicago.

Chicago needs a lot of help upgrading a defense that ranked 30th with 377.1 yards allowed per game last season. But the Bears' passing game wasn't a strength either. White joins Alshon Jeffery to give quarterback Jay Cutler a strong duo of receivers.

White had a breakout senior season with the Mountaineers in 2014, catching 109 passes for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was his explosive showcase at the NFL combine in February that moved White into the top 10.

At the combine, White measured 6-foot-2 1/2 and weighed 215 pounds. He also ran a 4.35-second, 40-yard dash. That's a rare combination of size and speed for a receiver.

Stay tuned to PackersNews.com as the NFL draft's first round continues tonight. The Packers are scheduled to be on the clock with the 30th overall pick.