2024 NFL Draft Scouting Reports

March 18, 2024 1:00 PM EST

Evaluated by: Samuel Teets
Sports Talk with Sam Teets
Twitter: Sam_Teets33
March 19, 2024

Prospect Overview

2023: 12 games
2022: 13 games
2021: 11 games

King was a four-star recruit from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Mich. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 222 recruit according to the 247Sports Composite board, No. 134 for Rivals, and No. 172 for On3.com. King was an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 78 grade out of 100.

King lettered four years in high school, was a team captain twice, and earned All-State, All-Region, All-City, and Detroit Public School League All-Conference selections twice. As a senior, he amassed three interceptions and five passes defensed in a short season. King also scored eight touchdowns on offense.

As a junior, King tallied one interception, four passes defensed, and 25 tackles to go along with 13 touchdowns. He helped Cass Technical to an 11-2 record as a sophomore when he forced two fumbles, intercepted a pass, and broke up seven passes. King was part of the team that went 11-3 and won district and regional championships during his freshman season. He also played basketball and ran track in high school.

King's sophomore campaign at Penn State was his breakout season. He earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors from the conference's coaches and media but was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection for the Associated Press and a Third Team All-American for Pro Football Focus. King received Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2023 from the conference's coaches and media.

King's outstanding sophomore season had many analysts projecting him as a future first round selection before the 2023 season. Unfortunately, his performance in 2023 and pre-draft process have revealed many concerns with his prospect profile.

Positives

King entered the 2023 season as one of the few consensus first round projections and a candidate to be the top cornerback in the draft class. It's easy to see why analysts fell in love with the true junior. He committed no penalties in 2022 despite operating in a diverse set of coverages, including press-man, off-man, and zone, and generating terrific ball production (three interceptions and 18 passes defensed).

King showcases some recovery burst to get back into routes when he's stacked. He seemed to confirm this by running a 1.54 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash. The 10-yard split measures a prospect's speed through the first ten yards of the 40-yard dash, meaning it captures burst and how quickly a player goes from resting to a meaningful speed.

King has quick feet and flashes smooth hip movement, but some of his transitions get a little high. His mirror and match skills in press-man were more present in 2022 than 2023, but film exists of him performing at a high level out of press coverage. King fires physical press punches that deliver surprising power for a player his size.

The All-Big Ten cornerback matches up well against outside releases. He quickly gets in phase before driving the receiver toward the sideline, narrowing any potential catch windows. However, King's physical profile and processing make him a better fit for zone.

Zone coverage allows King to keep his eyes on the quarterback and jump routes for potential turnovers. His awareness of developing routes in zone allow him to sort through multiple routes without getting overwhelmed or overcommitting. This coverage style also protects King against being shaken in man coverage by more athletic receivers.

King doesn't have the physical profile to be a downhill hammer, but he does his part. The Michigan native is willing to take on blocks and competes to separate and make a play on the ball. He is particularly gung-ho about blowing up wide receiver screens.

Areas for Improvement

Let's start by examining the one thing King can't really change, his frame. According to MockDraftable, which compares and catalogs player Combine measurements since 1999, King's 5' 11.25" frame falls in the 52nd percentile for cornerbacks, and his 191 lbs. falls into the 43rd percentile. Those numbers are fine. The concerning aspects are his 30 7/8" arms (29th percentile) and 74.25" wingspan (27th percentile).

Limited arm length is significant for cornerback prospects because it impacts their ability to play the ball at the catch point, make plays on the ball around defenders, wrap up on tackles, and jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. Most NFL teams have thresholds players at various positions need to check in order to be considered draftable in the upper rounds. King's arms won't meet those thresholds for many teams.

King didn't help himself at the NFL Combine. His 1.54 10-yard split for the 40-yard dash was a quality time, but his overall time of 4.61 was just the 13th percentile. If a cornerback prospect with King's size profile is going to run that slow, they just shouldn't run. His testing in the 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump, and broad jump all ranged from the 49th to 63rd percentile, so right around average.

On the field, King's lack of elite speed shows up in press coverage. When his punch accuracy and timing are off, he ends up a step or two behind the wide receiver. He struggles to stay attached to receivers on sharp comeback and dig routes, which leads to him grabbing receivers and drawing penalties. Four fouls were called on King in 2023 compared to zero in 2022.

King allows too much separation mid-route as he slows his feet and gets caught watching the quarterback. He needs to be more disciplined with his eyes and footwork. King doesn't have the elite agility to match twitchy or explosive route runners that fly in and out of cuts. He sat high in his backpedal at times last year, which altered his balance and made it difficult for him to flip his hips to mirror breaks early in the route. He just wasn't as poised in 2023 as in 2022.

When carrying a receiver downfield, King often doesn't get his head around in time to make a play on the football.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of the best wide receiver prospects of the past decade, but it's still concerning how much King struggled against the future top-five selection in 2022 and 2023. The 2022 tape was better, but Harrison got everything and anything he wanted against King this past season. The cornerback's frustration and inability to stick with Harrison ultimately led to him committing two penalties against Ohio State.

King misses diving tackle attempts and fails to wrap up too often. His lack of size and mass also impact his ability to finish plays or take on blocks in run defense. He will fly downhill out of control, leading to his momentum taking him out of plays.

It's also worth noting that King had one of the worst pre-draft processes this cycle. Miami's Leonard Taylor is also in that grouping. Aside from his Combine testing, which we already covered, King had a poor showing at the Senior Bowl. He consistently lost in the one-on-ones and was overshadowed by many defensive backs in the team drills.

Draft Stock

King's decision to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft instead of returning to school was a confusing call. Optimists would love to stand on his sophomore tape, but his dramatic decrease in ball production, limited frame, poor performance at the Senior Bowl, and disappointing athletic profile provide mounting evidence that he isn't one of the top defensive backs in the class.

It's still possible that King hears his name called in the late third round, but the fourth round is the most likely option at this point. Outside cornerbacks who have jumped him throughout the process include Renardo Green, Cam Hart, and Khyree Jackson. Florida State's Jarrian Jones and Kentucky's Andru Phillips are nickel options who leaped over King. Keep an eye on Boston College's Elijah Jones, Pittsburgh's M.J. Devonshire, and Fresno State's Carlton Johnson as well.

Unfortunately for King, this is a deep cornerback class with plenty of different flavors, builds, and schematic fits. There's someone for every team, which makes it less likely that King emerges as the best corner available for a specific organization. I've seen some people float around the idea that he could play safety. That feels like a desperation move, considering King's lack of experience playing the role.

King won't win a significant role in his rookie season. He will begin his career contributing on special teams and try to play his way into a rotational or starting position by the end of his rookie contract.

Games Evaluated

• Michigan (2023)
• Maryland (2023)
• Ohio State (2023)
• Illinois (2023)
• West Virginia (2023)
• Utah (2022)
• Michigan State (2022)
• Ohio State (2022)
• Michigan (2022)