Kevin King is a cornerback from the University of Washington who was the Green Bay Packers top draft pick in the April 2017 National Football League (NFL) draft. Prior to joining the NFL, he played safety and eventually, cornerback positions on the gridiron while in college and was projected for success based on his amazing performance.
Who Is Kevin King?
Kevin Charles King, simply known as Kevin King was born on May 5, 1995, in Oakland, California. Growing up, he played baseball and basketball. He also played football with the initial intention of playing quarterback but his height of 5feet 7inches made it impossible because he could not see over the offensive line.
He attended Bishop O’Dowd High School where he played football under coach Hardy Nickerson, a former Green Bay Packers player. He also continued with baseball and track and field but had to give up the former after he experienced a speedy growth that made him increase to 6 feet 2 inches while still in junior high.
Before his senior year, he became a defensive most valuable player (MVP) at the Oakland Nike Football Training Camp. This win, according to the player, boosted his “confidence up a bit” and convinced him that he had what it takes to play with the superstars. He concluded the season, leading the team with 6 interceptions and was named to the first-team All-NorCal and first-team Division three all-state by Maxpreps.com.
By the time he was done with high school, the cornerback received a three-star ranking from Rivals.com as a 73rd overall recruit in California. He was sought after by many universities but he chose to pitch his tent with Washington University where he played for the Washington Huskies from 2013 to 2016 while also studying for a degree in American Ethnic Studies and Retail Management.
Kevin King played in safety in his first and sophomore years, becoming the first true freshman to start a game for the team in 2013. Unfortunately, he could not take part in several games, including his first bowl game against BYU, as a result of an injury. His best game in the season is considered to be the one against the UCLA Bruins, where he recorded 4 tackles and a fumble recovery.
During his sophomore year, he featured in 13 games, starting 12 of them at the safety position. He also made his first career interception in the Apple Cup against rival Washington State and played the first bowl game of his college career, recording 9 tackles.
The young star started playing as a cornerback in his junior year and although he kept up his strong play, he was forced to stay away from the field for the bowl game due to injury. King earned an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 team and as a result of his excellent record, he decided to forgo his senior year and declare for the NFL draft. However, Jimmy Lake, Huskies’ co-defensive coordinator, advised him against that and heeding the advise, Kevin King returned to develop himself and become a better outside corner, which Lake believed was the position he would most likely play in the NFL.
At the end of his senior year, King made 2 interceptions, 44 tackles, and 3.5 for a loss. This earned him, for the second time, an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 team and also an honorable mention on the Academic All-Pac-12 Team.
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Kevin King is 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall. Before his NFL draft, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projected him to be a first-to second-round pick, explaining that he possesses an unusual height for the cornerback position which he uses effectively to his advantage in addition to his other areas of strength. The player also had some weaknesses with regards to his speed and footwork, which made some sports analysts talk him down. However, Kevin King’s outstanding performance at the NFL Combine put a lot of concerns to rest. Consequently, NFLDraftScout.com ranked him as the 3rd best cornerback, Sports Illustrated gave him the 7th spot while ESPN considered him to be the 5th best cornerback.
Eventually, the Oakland native was selected by the Green Bay Packers on the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the 33rd overall pick. King could not take part in any of the organized team activity practices due to the antiquated rule that prevents rookies from coming to OTAs while their school is still in session. Nevertheless, he spent the time getting acquainted with the playbook with the help of cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt.
During his rookie season, King played a total of nine games, starting five. Sadly, he spent most of the season dealing with a shoulder injury which dislocated many times. Although he tried playing through the pain most of the season, he was eventually placed on injured reserve in week 13 and later had to undergo surgery.
His Family
There is no information at the moment about Kevin’s family – parents and siblings. However, he revealed during an interview that he had a girlfriend whom he simply referred to as Aaliyah.
Other Facts About The Cornerback
Speaking on 12th June, after his first practice since rookie camp in early May, the cornerback disclosed that he withdrew from school to prepare for the draft and had not finished his degree in American Ethnic Studies.
Kevin King signed a four-year contract with the Parkers worth $7,080,884, including a $3,289,734. signing bonus. He received a cap hit of a little more than $1.2 million in 2017.
With his first paycheck, the cornerback fulfilled his mother’s longtime dream of owning a beautiful home.
Outside the field, King has a clean record. He has never gotten involved in any trouble and has not been linked to any controversy so far.
The 6 feet 3 inches tall player weighs 91 kg (200 lb).
