The Green Bay Packers didn’t trade the first overall pick of the second round after all. They selected the guy we predicted they would select earlier in the day, Washington cornerback Kevin King.
First of all, the Packers have filled that huge need they had at outside cornerback. Thank god they didn’t pick a damn running back.
What are they getting in King?
He’s super athletic and tall for a corner at 6’3″. At 200 pounds, King may need to add some weight to his frame. King didn’t wow with his statistics. He finished with 44 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, two interceptions and 13 passes defended in 2016.
He was named honorable mention All-Pac-12 in 2015 and 2016.
Where King did wow was at the combine. As Rob detailed when he looked at cornerbacks in the draft who might help the Packers — King was near the top among the best cornerbacks in agility and athleticism.
He ran a 4.43 40 and had 39.5 vertical — the latter being best among the top corners.
I would compare him to a bigger version of Sam Shields.
The knocks on King are he’s not a good tackler (what’s new?) and he can’t effectively cover smaller receivers because of his height.
If King ends up being a starter, the Packers will have to play to his strengths by matching him up appropriately.
NFL.com says: 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.
CBS Sports says: Though his more touted teammates will likely earn a higher draft pick, King’s size, awareness and versatility warrant top 100 consideration. His ability to play multiple roles should help King earn a roster spot in the NFL. His size is both a quality and a curse. While big enough to shrink passing lanes, King will always be vulnerable to shifty route-runners.