Kevin King | Cornerback | Washington | 6'3" - 200 lbs.
OVERVIEWKing played for former NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, so it's not a surprise that he has the skills to play defense at the highest level. He was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 pick at cornerback the past two seasons, using his length to make plays on the ball each season (39 tackles, three interceptions, five pass break-ups in 2015; 44 stops, 3.5 for loss, two interceptions team-high 13 PBUs in 2016). His one-handed interception in the end zone against Arizona State was one of the best plays in college football last fall. King began his career for the Huskies at safety, starting twice as a true freshman (17 tackles) and then 12 of 13 games in 2014 (65 tackles, one INT, three PBU). His senior year was the first time he did not miss games during the season, as he missed five games due to injury and one to illness during his first three years.
ANALYSISSTRENGTHS Rare height for the position. Solid job of restricting catch window on routes outside the numbers. Shoves receivers toward boundary and drifts into their running lane to decrease catch opportunity. Length creates challenge for receivers used to winning at the high point. Instinctive with good feel for finding football. Allowed just one touchdown over last 101 targets. Six career interceptions with hands to make the circus pick. Patient from press coverage. Quick to turn and locate once his back is to the quarterback. Saw increase in pass breakups in senior season. Willing to get physical with blocking receivers when it comes time to disengage and make a tackle. Has played all four spots in secondary and slot corner as well.
WEAKNESSES Timed speed and play speed are both concerns. Sluggish feet in press allow quick-releasers to shoot past him. Unable to find necessary acceleration for functional makeup speed. Hands are flimsy in his jams. Could use more upper body strength. High center of gravity makes sudden change of direction a challenge. NFL ball production could be a concern. Takes path to his man over paths to the ball. Lacks desired twitch for NFL transitioning to the throws. Takes too long from bail technique and backpedal to plant and burst on the ball. Ankle biter willing to engage in too many arm tackles and blind shoulder rolls.
DRAFT PROJECTION Round 1-2
SOURCES TELL US "I'm not 100 percent sure what you do with him because he's not a physical tackler, but he's almost too tall to be trusted against shifty receivers. Maybe a team like Seattle, which love those long, press corners. Or you might see a team try and make him a free safety." -- West Coast regional scout for AFC team
NFL COMPARISON Damian Swann
BOTTOM LINE Unusually tall cornerback with experience playing in the slot and as a starting safety. Showed improved instincts and ball production in 2016, but there are still concerns about whether he has the athleticism and recovery speed to utilize his length to play the football. Might be best suited to more zone coverage or off-man based on his speed limitations, but in either scheme he'll need to improve his aggressiveness as a tackler.