Kalen King CB Penn State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Kalen King CB Penn State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.61 seconds (12%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age: 21.8 DOB: 01/28/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |
Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | |
Draft Year: 2024 | |
40 time: 4.61 seconds (12%*) | |
Age: 21.8 DOB: 01/28/2003 | |
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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Overall Rating: | 79.7 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
Offense Rating: |
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80% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
QB Rating When targeted: | 73.8 | |
Tackling: |
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60% |
Run Defense: |
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72% |
Coverage: |
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70% |
Zone: |
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66% |
Man/Press: |
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71% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#188
Position rank:
#40
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College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1258 | ||
College Combine Results
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Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
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Mykael Wright - Oregon |
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80% |
Cameron Brown - Ohio State |
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79% |
Jakorian Bennett - Maryland |
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78% |
Drafted: ROUND: 7 - Pick Number: 255 (GB)
Draft Profile: Bio
Kalen King, a Detroit native and Cass Technical High School alumnus, entered Penn State as a notable member of their 2021 class with a four-star rating from 247 Sports. As a freshman cornerback, he played in 12 games, tallying 21 tackles and 3 pass breakups over 279 snaps. In his sophomore year, he recorded 24 tackles, 9 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions in 12 games, totaling 498 snaps with a quarterback rating against of 59.3 when targeted.King's performance earned him several distinctions, including second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-America by Pro Football Focus. He was also named to the Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten first team and received third-team All-Big Ten honors.
Preseason accolades for King included first-team preseason All-American honors and inclusion on watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy, Thorpe Award, and Lott IMPACT Trophy. His on-field contributions were recognized with the Keystone Award and by being named Defensive Player of the Game against West Virginia.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Leads the Big Ten with his ball-hawking skills, boasting top-tier passes defensed thanks to his ability to track and anticipate the ball's trajectory, impacting the game's momentum significantly.
- Exhibits tenacity and willingness to engage physically beyond his size, showing aggressiveness against perimeter plays and a propensity to disrupt quick outside passes.
- Demonstrates a blend of agility and speed, with exceptional ability to close on passes quickly, making him a formidable challenger in the short-field area.
- King's combative style in coverage denies receivers easy catches, and his presence is consistently felt throughout the game due to his competitive nature.
- His footwork and agility allow for smooth transitions when shadowing receivers, leveraging his quick-twitch abilities to match up well in man coverage.
- As a zone defender, King showcases strong route recognition, adept at carrying and passing off assignments with a keen eye on quarterback activity.
- In man coverage, he displays patience and effective hand usage to maintain close proximity to receivers, often outmaneuvering them with superior football intellect.
- King's run defense is highlighted by his effective pursuit angles and courage in physical confrontations, though he occasionally struggles to disengage from larger receivers.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Poor long speed - showcased by a very average 4.61 forty - any slower and teams may consider him as a safety conversion prospect
- Exhibits hesitation in initial movements, leading to recovery steps when addressing quick offensive plays, which can hinder his response time.
- Tends to get visually trapped by backfield action, making him vulnerable to opponents with swift directional shifts and deceptive routes.
- Lacks ideal length and frame density, which can diminish his effective range and impact when contesting passes against taller receivers.
- Displays a slight delay in reacting to snap releases, occasionally causing him to trail at the line and lose early engagement.
- Reliance on two-hand jams in press coverage sometimes results in penalties, with a need to refine technique to avoid holding calls.
- Encountered a notable setback against Ohio State, where Marvin Harrison 's advanced route running exposed some of King's limitations in coverage.
Scouting Report: Summary
Kalen King emerges as a savvy, scheme-diverse corner with the football IQ and competitive edge projected to make an immediate impact in the league. His diagnostic skills in coverage and a receiver's mindset when attacking the ball present him as a valuable asset in any defensive backfield. Despite a dip in stock due to a challenging outing against Ohio State's elite receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., King's overall body of work maintains his projection as a Day 1 selection.King isn't your prototypical boundary enforcer with imposing measurables, yet he compensates with cerebral play, foot quickness, and a scrappy demeanor. His tape against top-tier competition has exposed some raw edges, notably in transitions and long-speed matchups, but it's his consistent playmaking that keeps him in the first-round mix. King's competitive toughness and ball production remain his calling cards, overshadowing occasional lapses against elite route runners.
In the trenches, King showcases hip fluidity and click-and-close burst that make him a nuisance in man coverage. He's got the mirror ability off the line and a disruptive press technique that can stymie wideouts' release plans. While his vertical phase can be tested by speedsters, his short-area quicks and field savvy often compensate, allowing him to stay in phase and contest the catch.
Finalizing King's evaluation, it's clear he doesn't possess the freakish athletic traits of some CB prototypes and has only average speed, but his plug-and-play nature, competitive toughness, and consistent film against a variety of receivers keep him in high regard. King's well-rounded skill set, underscored by his willingness to insert against the run and combativeness in coverage, make him a high-floor prospect. He's a technician with a nose for the football, and despite needing to refine some elements of his game, he's a secure investment for teams looking to bolster their secondary early in the draft.
Kalen King percentiles vs other Cornerbacks (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
Update - 04/21/2024
Kalen King of Penn State, at 191 pounds, faced some challenges at the Combine. Notably, his 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds was seen as a significant setback, falling short of expectations for his size. Additionally, King's arm length, at just 31 inches, was shorter than anticipated, raising concerns about his reach. Despite these issues, King delivered solid numbers in the vertical and broad jumps, posting a 37-inch vertical and a 10-foot-2 broad jump.How other scouting services rate Kalen King (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
111.1
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
34.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.