Kevin King hopes to be the star cornerback the Packers were looking for
The Green Bay Packers first draft pick came as the first pick in the second round, they drafted cornerback Kevin King out of Washington.
Many Packers fans sat in front of their TV Friday night, anxiously waiting to see who they would get at the 29th pick in the NFL draft.
With thoughts of the bashing, they received from the Atlanta Falcons still ringing fresh in their mind.
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There were many weaknesses Green Bay could look to fill. They could take a running back to help take the load off of Ty Montgomery, a converted receiver.
They could address a shallow defensive tackle position. Mike Daniels is the only reliable starter on the defensive line.
Kenny Clark didn’t get to see the field much in 2016 and Ricky Jean-Francois is a temporary fill for the purpose of depth.
Lots of Packer fans noticed Reuben Foster, inside linebacker out of Alabama falling down the board.
Foster was arguably the best defensive player in the draft but slipped down the boards because of a diluted urine test.
Could it be Wisconsin fan favorite, T.J. Watt, who the Packers grab at 29? Many Packer fans were hoping that was the direction they were going.
Hoping he could be the second coming of his older brother J.J. Watt. It would have been hard for him to live up to those expectations.
Then as the 29th pick got closer Packer fans noticed that their name was no longer in the position they were slotted.
“What happened?” they said as they scrambled to their phones to check Twitter and Facebook. Turns out the Packers got a better deal as they traded down to pick number 33 with Cleveland, along with the first pick in the fourth round.
Friday night rolls around and Packer fans know they don’t have a long wait. Hoping Ted Thompson doesn’t pull another trade.
A little after six and they finally get to find out whom they would take.
It’s not any of the positions previously mentioned, but it’s a pick that any true Packer fans know they had to make. Kevin King, cornerback, out of the University of Washington. Most, if not all, Packer fans celebrate.
Kevin King is six foot three inches tall. That is the height that the Packers have needed for a long time.
The Packers were consistently getting torched by big, athletic wide receivers and King can actually go up and compete with these guys for the ball.
Height isn’t the only thing King brings to the table. He also ran a 4.3 40-yard-dash at the NFL combine. Speed is the other thing the Packers were missing at cornerback ever since Sam Shields got knocked out for the season and possibly career.
He brings a combination of size, speed, and athleticism that Packer fans have longed for.
Packer fans need to temper their expectations early though. Do not expect King to come out and be a shutdown cornerback immediately.
After all, this is a wide receiver league and it can be hard for rookie cornerbacks to adjust.
King likes to get his hands on people so he will get plenty of penalties called on him.
He also has a tendency to get beat deep at times, as he relies a lot on his athleticism and speed at the point of attack.
Rumor has it that the pick came down to running back, Dalvin Cook, and King.
King had fewer concerns off the field and that seemed to be the deciding factor.
Add that to the fact that running back is becoming less valuable in today’s NFL and this seemed like a no-brainer.
Hopefully, they can keep King healthy for an entire season.
The worst thing that Packer fans can afford to happen is to lose another guy due to injury.
Injuries have been an issue in the past for the Packers.
If King can stay healthy, Packer fans can expect to have a top cornerback in the league for years to come.
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