University of Washington cornerback Kevin King is looking to use his length and intangibles to make plays for the NFL team that takes him later this month.
It seems the entire Washington secondary is entering the 2017 NFL Draft, and cornerback Kevin King -- just like former teammates Budda Baker and Sidney Jones -- is ready to see how he stacks up in the professional ranks.
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, King definitely has the size any NFL team would want at the cornerback position.
And, if you ask the player himseld along with some of his college competition, he uses that size to his advantage at the line of scrimmage.
"Just working the receivers-not too many guys are used to having that constant pest on them, nasty and long," King said. "And I'm going to get the ball. When the ball's in the air, that 50/50 ball isn't really 50/50. There are bigger guys in this league, and you've got to go up and get the ball."
As a senior in 2016, Jones totaled two interceptions and 13 passes defended.
The biggest knock against the cover man, however, has been his tackling ability but the former safety wants teams to focus on his intangibles that can't be coached. King played multiple positions in the Washington secondary and is comfortable at both safety positions as well as cornerback, which can help his draft stock and transition to the NFL.
"My knowledge of the game… I want them to know that I have the intangibles that can't be taught," King said. "They put me in the post, just to try and make plays. So, I already knew what I was doing there back in the post, reading the ball and making tackles. It wasn't that much of a transition. Safeties, we make a lot of calls. So, the mental aspect of it was more of a transition than the physical part."
Although he isn't mentioned as one of the very top prospects in the draft featuring a multitude of talented defensive backs, King's long frame could give him an edge with teams that need help in the secondary. Teams like Seattle have been successful with taller cornerbacks and more teams could be looking to incorporate the specific build within their secondary.
Just like most defensive backs, King is very confident in his ability to handle receivers one-on-one. He has the ball hawking skills that NFL defenses want their players to possess. His size is an added bonus for a very athletic defensive back that ran a 4.43 40-yard dash time at the 2017 NFL Combine.
And with the NFL becoming a pass dominated league, every team seems to have large and athletic receivers but King is up to the challenge to battle against receivers of all sizes.
"Disrupting receivers, especially those bigger guys, as well as those smaller guys," King said of his playing style. "And really, everyone wants to go up and get the ball. You're really defined by the plays you make, and our job on defense is to score and get the ball back on offense. Everybody looks at the guys who go and create plays and turnovers, and that's what makes the defense great."
In his four years for the Huskies, King totaled 22 passes defensed and six interceptions.
The Oakland, Calif., native's draft stock has increased since his pro day and as he gets close to accomplishing his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, King isn't letting the whole draft process overwhelm him and is just trying to live in the moment.
"I'm just taking it in-just taking it in stride," King said. "Taking it piece-by-piece, trying not to look too forward. Just doing what I do with a smile."
