Kevin King, CB, Washington
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 200 pounds
2016: 44 TKL, 13 PD, 2 INT
2015: 39 TKL, 5 PD, 3 INT, 1 FF
2014: 64 TKL, 3 PD, 1 INT, 1 FF
2013: 17 TKL, 1 PD
40-yard dash: 4.43 seconds
Bench press: 11 reps
Vertical jump: 39.5 inches
3-done drill: 6.56 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 3.89 seconds
40-yard shuttle: 11.14 seconds
There may not be a more impressive athlete and physical specimen among cornerbacks in the 2017 NFL Draft than Kevin King. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with 32-inch arms, King is long and tall, and with 4.4 speed and the top times at the position in both the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle, he has the quickness, balance and agility to turn and run.
But wait, there's more. King is an aggressive run defender, frequently barreling into the backfield with no regard for his own body and getting in on tackles downfield. He's intelligent, earning an Academic All-Pac-12 honorable mention last season; experienced, starting 34 games over three seasons for the Huskies; and versatile, too, having lined up outside, in the slot and at safety.
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It's no wonder King is flying up boards as the draft approaches. He's built like the modern-day cornerback prototype -- perhaps a bit lean, but that's almost to be expected at his age. King needs to work on his tackling form, as he often plays out of control, but he's not afraid to throw his body around or get physical with receivers in coverage.
With an array of tools and impressive tape, King's combine performance should've put scouts at ease about his ability to play corner at the next level. While there's no real consensus about where he'll land in the draft, No. 14 might not be out of the question.
Although, while numerous NFL teams have tried copying the Seattle Seahawks model of placing towering cornerbacks on the perimeters, it's not something Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has much experience with himself. Whether with the Titans, Lions or Bills, Schwartz has largely coached your garden variety 6-foot-or-less corners, and almost seems to prefer the compact model.
There's an excellent chance that this is purely coincidence. Taller corners have mostly come in vogue in the past five years, since the Seahawks won the Super Bowl with a secondary full of roving 6-3 giants. It doesn't necessarily mean anything, either, as when Schwartz's Lions had the chance to sign 6-1 Rashean Mathis in 2013, they did, and he started for three seasons until his retirement.
Schwartz was also quick to bury 6-1 Eric Rowe on the depth chart upon joining the Eagles last year, in favor of 5-10 Leodis McKelvin (since released), 5-10 Ron Brooks (relegated to the slot) and 6-0 Jalen Mills (a seventh-round pick). Of course, with 6-1 Nolan Carroll getting the starting job across from McKelvin, it's difficult to say these decisions represent a philosophy or aversion to tall people.
While perhaps more of a curiosity than a concern with fit, a 6-3 corner would be a first for Schwartz. Then again, King is aggressive around the line of scrimmage and competitive in coverage down the field -- two vital traits for a cornerback in Schwartz's defense.
How relevant height actually is to Schwartz remains to be seen. Yet, the Eagles appear to have taken some interest in King, as he was brought in for an official pre-draft visit. Then again, King also might be a prospect of intrigue for the Eagles in the second round, not necessarily at No. 14.
Other Eagles draft targets at No. 14:
Tennessee DE Derek Barnett
Michigan DE Taco Charlton
Florida State RB Dalvin Cook
Western Michigan WR Corey Davis
LSU RB Leonard Fournette
Alabama CB Marlon Humphrey
Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey
Michigan State DT Malik McDowell
Washington WR John Ross
Clemson WR Mike Williams
