2024 7th Round Pick #255 Overall Kalen King - CB - Penn St.

[Joemailman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSu6C5Ed7kU

Overview
King's 2022 performance was significantly better than what he put on tape in 2023, but it might not be enough to sway some evaluators. King was consistently rocked out of position by route breaks over the first two levels and didn't find the ball frequently enough with his back to the passer on deep shots. He doesn't have the fluidity to just mirror and match routes, so he'll need to get back to playing more physically from press to slow down route momentum. King is more than capable of tilting 50/50 balls in his favor when he's in position, but finding positioning in man or zone coverages as a pro could be very challenging.

Strengths
Showed ability to slow press release with his hands in 2022.
Finished 2022 with 15 pass breakups and three interceptions.
Opens gait and strides with long routes downfield.
Swings long arms around receiver to swat throws away when in position.
Comes up and shocks perimeter blockers with good punch.

Weaknesses
Lacks change-of-direction balance for sticky man coverage.
Easy catch windows were consistently opened on him in 2023.
Loses coverage focus when attacked with combo routes.
Can be a step slow reading quarterback's operation from zone.
Rushes downhill with poor technique and control as a tackler.

[Fritz]

I don’t get it - a couple reports said he was considered a borderline first-round talent after 2022, but his stock dropped because he was slow. But , uh, wasn’t he always slow? Didn’t they know that already?

I’m a little prejudiced because of the name. Sounds too much like Kevin King.

[George Cumby]

I don’t get it - a couple reports said he was considered a borderline first-round talent after 2022, but his stock dropped because he was slow. But , uh, wasn’t he always slow? Didn’t they know that already?

I’m a little prejudiced because of the name. Sounds too much like Kevin King.

Nah, he just had an off senior year.

Sounds kind of familiar, seems like we have another player who was lights out his junior year, his numbers dropped his senior year and we picked him any way. Jordan Like? No, that's not it..... Jordan Lust?........ that's not it either..... anyway, the details escape me........

[smuggler]

Reminds me of LaDarius Gunter. Good skills but maybe just a step or two slow for the pro game. If they protect him it could work okay.

[texaspackerbacker]

good comparison. I always liked Gunter. With this year's Safetys, he may get that help.

[Scott Campbell]

Seems like a pretty willing tackler against the run.

[MadScientist]

Reminds me of LaDarius Gunter. Good skills but maybe just a step or two slow for the pro game. If they protect him it could work okay.

Gunter managed to go from starting CB in the NFCC to off the team then out of football the next year. He was too slow to protect. King is a better athlete than Gunter, but still might be too slow to do anything with. He might be good enough for ST, though. It's a pick a few spots off Mr. Irrelevant, so no big deal if he doesn't pan out.

[Fritz]

One difference generally seems to be that this year’s class of defensive rookies in general look to be physical. No more pussy defensive players half-assing a tackle. That will be somewhat satisfying after some wide receiver catches a ball for a 20 yard gain. I think.

[run pMc]

Ran 4.61 at the combine, 4.55 at his pro day. Don't think you want to line him up against Xavier Worthy, but I do think he can press and probably cover for 20 yards. It's a flier on a guy who could improve with coaching. Depth piece to challenge Ballentine/Rochelle.
I'm fine with it.

Don't recall his agility scores or if could play in the slot, doesn't sound like it but then again Keisean's agility is poor too.

[KYPack]

I can't get past that name.
When they posted his name on the crawl, I got bad vibes.
Maybe we deserve a good K King after the hell we went thru with the other guy.

[run pMc]

I was going to post a joke about how they should've drafted a Watt instead, but that still seems like a sore spot for some.

[Joemailman]

What a difference a year makes.

https://twitter.com/BenFennell_NFL/status/1648703937019609089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1648703937019609089%7Ctwgr% 5E8d327b0296637b083eeab54e6f0ed52132aba4a3%7Ctwcon %5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fforums.footballsfuture.com%2 Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3 Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FBenFennell _NFL%2Fstatus%2F1648703937019609089

[run pMc]

It's not like Gunter is the only "slow" CB they've had.
https://ras.football/2019/12/24/casey-hayward-ras/

FWIW, Gunter was slow and out of his depth trying to be a CB1 covering Julio in the NFCCG. He'd have been fine as your CB4 though.
We're about to find out if Hafley & Co. are any good at developing defensive backs.

[bobblehead]

Nah, he just had an off senior year.

Sounds kind of familiar, seems like we have another player who was lights out his junior year, his numbers dropped his senior year and we picked him any way. Jordan Like? No, that's not it..... Jordan Lust?........ that's not it either..... anyway, the details escape me........

Love, Wicks, Reed, Musgrave (if you factor injury as bad year). He also clocked REALLY slow for a CB. I read somewhere that many viewed him as a safety. Its a good pick to gamble with.

[bobblehead]

Ran 4.61 at the combine, 4.55 at his pro day. Don't think you want to line him up against Xavier Worthy, but I do think he can press and probably cover for 20 yards. It's a flier on a guy who could improve with coaching. Depth piece to challenge Ballentine/Rochelle.
I'm fine with it.

Don't recall his agility scores or if could play in the slot, doesn't sound like it but then again Keisean's agility is poor too.

We just paid a guy a billion dollars who ran a 4.6+ at the combine. Again, one false step and your running a 7 flat.

[MadScientist]

It's not like Gunter is the only "slow" CB they've had.
https://ras.football/2019/12/24/casey-hayward-ras/

FWIW, Gunter was slow and out of his depth trying to be a CB1 covering Julio in the NFCCG. He'd have been fine as your CB4 though.
We're about to find out if Hafley & Co. are any good at developing defensive backs.

Kalen and Casey are in a different league than Gunter https://ras.football/2020/01/06/ladarius-gunter-ras/

[run pMc]

I don't think King is as slow as Gunter. King is a better athlete overall
https://ras.football/ras-compare/?&p1=12045&p2=25015&pos=CB

I think he'll be fine in coverage most of the time, but I wouldn't want him on an island covering some burner like Xavier Worthy. Matched up against a guy like that you'd let him press the hell out of him and roll a safety over the top.

Bobble -- 100% agree. For a while I wondered about why people were burying Kamren Kinchens pre-draft for running a 4.65 when McKinney ran a 4.62. Having good instincts/football IQ and not taking false steps can make up for a relative lack of speed. As we saw with uber-athletic guys like Darnell Savage, the speed doesn't mean a lot if you can't make the tackle.

There is no downside to taking a flier on a guy like this at pick 255.

[Fritz]

When did Kinchens go? I was hoping the Packers might be able to land him in the middle rounds or something. He just makes plays.

[smuggler]

The Rams picked Kinchens up at #99 at the back end of the third round.

[Fritz]

So many permutations in this draft. Take DeJean, lose out on Edgerrin Cooper, but maybe pick up a different linebacker instead of Bullard at safety, then get Kinchens in the third?

Ah, hell. We'll just have to wait and see how this all works out.