Desmond King NFL Draft 2017: Scouting Report for Los Angeles Chargers' Pick

Combine/Pro Day Results

Height	Weight	40 Time	3-Cone	Short Shuttle
5'10"	201 lbs	4.55s	6.67s	4.18s

 

POSITIVES

A four-year starter at cornerback for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Desmond King is a highly decorated prospect with 14 career interceptions and the instincts coaches love. The 2015 Jim Thorpe Award winner has excellent awareness and is a tough player no matter his assignment. He's aggressive at the line of scrimmage and isn't afraid to mix it up with bigger receivers.

King has advanced technique and fundamentals as a defensive back. He understands leverage and angles, and he uses all the tools in his toolbox to keep pace with receivers. He's a four-down contributor and is wired to win. King brings value as a return man. He has an NFL frame with muscular, thick legs and a jacked upper body. He may be a little undersized, but he's one of those players whose effort, drive and wiring will make him a solid NFL player. While projected at safety, King could still thrive as a zone cornerback or slot player at the next level. 

 

NEGATIVES

King is undersized and lacks top-end speed for an outside cornerback prospect, which is why he transitions to free safety, where his ball skills and his instincts can thrive and his lack of size and speed aren't as much issues. Arm length under 32 inches is also a great indicator that King will make a move to slot corner or safety. He got tagged often with penalties (11 in the last two seasons) and has to play with a cooler head. A lack of length makes him a poor matchup when playing at the line of scrimmage in a press situation.
  

PRO COMPARISON: Casey Hayward, Los Angeles Chargers

FINAL GRADE: 6.50/9.00 (Rookie Impact—Round 2)

Follow your favorite teams and leagues in the new B/R app. Get the app and get the game.