Kevin King - Pro Football Rumors

North Rumors: Packers, Cobb, Jordy, Browns

September 18th, 2017 at 9:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

MRI results show that wide receiver Randall Cobb (shoulder) and defensive lineman Mike Daniels (hamstring) did not suffer major injuries in the Packers‘ loss to the Falcons on Sunday night, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Both are considered day-to-day, and should be available for Green Bay’s Week 3 game against the Bengals. There’s no official word to the severity of wideout Jordy Nelson‘s quad issue, but the Packers don’t believe the injury is serious, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

The Browns will likely place receiver Corey Coleman on injured reserve on Tuesday, tweets Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald. Coleman, who broke his hand for the second time in as many seasons, will likely need six-to-eight weeks to recover, so he’ll likely be one of Cleveland’s two IR/designated to return players. That would allow Coleman to return to practice in six weeks and see the field in eight. The Browns will lean on Rashard Higgins, Kasen Williams, and Kenny Britt in Coleman’s absence.
Second-round cornerback Kevin King will continue to see his role grow after a solid performance for the Packers on Sunday, as head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “If anything, he’s earned the right to potentially play more,” said McCarthy. “Smooth, confident athlete. I like the progression that Kevin’s made.” King, a Washington product, saw his snap percentage leap from 12% in Week 1 to 79% in Week 2, and is now Pro Football Focus‘ No. 19 ranked corner through two weeks.
General manager Ted Thompson has shown a recent willingness to add external free agents as he revamps the Packers‘ roster, writes Demovsky in a full piece. Veteran such as Martellus Bennett, Ahmad Brooks, and Davon House have all joined the club this offseason as part of a detour from a Green Bay strategy that typically involves mostly homegrown players. “It’s the realization that they needed to get better,” one NFL executive said of the Packers, noting that Thompson may be more open to input from his front office subordinates.

Packers Sign Top Pick CB Kevin King

May 11th, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have signed rookie cornerback Kevin King (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). Green Bay traded down from the No. 29 selection and acquired picks at No. 33 and No. 108. King, taken with the first pick in the second round, is their top draft pick in the 2017 class.

As a senior, King totaled 44 tackles (including 3.5 tackles for a loss) and two interceptions. At 6’3″, King offers great height for the cornerback position and he boosted his stock in his final year on campus by having his first ever slate of perfect attendance. Some evaluators worry that he doesn’t have enough speed to be a standout CB, but Green Bay’s front office clearly disagrees.

With ten draft picks in this year’s class, the Packers have even more work to do in the coming days.

Teams Interested In Packers’ No. 33 Pick

April 28th, 2017 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams are already interested in the Packers’ No. 33 overall pick, the first selection of the second round, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Those clubs include the Chargers (No. 38), Jets (No. 39) and Buccaneers (No. 50), reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Both the Chargers and Jets are attempting to move up for Cal quarterback Davis Webb, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Meanwhile, if the Packers keep the pick, they’ll select either Florida State running back Dalvin Cook or Washington cornerback Kevin King, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Here’s a look at some of the other notable names that remain on the board as we head into Day 2:

Forrest Lamp, G (Western Kentucky)
DeShone Kizer, QB (Notre Dame)
Zach Cunningham, LB (Vanderbilt)
Sidney Jones, CB, (Washington)
Joe Mixon, RB, (Oklahoma)
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR (USC)
Teez Tabor, CB (Florida)
Malik McDowell, DL (Michigan State)
Tim Williams, OLB (Alabama)
Alvin Kamara, RB (Tennessee)
Zay Jones, WR (East Carolina)

Extra Points: Redskins, Allen, Steelers

April 27th, 2017 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are high on Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Redskins currently own the No. 17 pick in the draft, so they’ll likely need to move up to get him. Then again, Allen might not make it out of the top five.

Here’s more news before the draft gets underway:

Washington defensive backs Kevin King and Budda Baker are on the Steelers‘ “radar”, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh has used early picks on secondary help over the past few seasons, as Artie Burns, Sean Davis, and Senquez Golson have all been added to the defensive backfield since 2015. Golson, however, hasn’t been able to get on the field due to injuries, and the Steelers could use more help in the back end. King would give the club a physical corner to play outside, while Baker can play deep safety and the slot.
Some folks in the Dolphins organization are really high on linebacker Haason Reddick, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears. His fans in Miami believe that he can be a great weakside linebacker right off of the bat and they like his explosive pass rush skills.
An official from one team tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that Gareon Conley will go in the first round.
Colts defensive lineman David Parry will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement this week, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes. Originally, he was facing felony charges stemming from a February arrest in Arizona. It remains to be seen whether he’ll face team or league punishment.

Cole’s Latest: Panthers, Rivera, Watson, King

April 22nd, 2017 at 5:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Panthers don’t earn a postseason berth in 2017, head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman could be on the hot seat, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Carolina, of course, finished the 2016 campaign with a 6-10 record after losing only regular season game and securing a Super Bowl appearance the year prior. Both Rivera and Gettleman are now facing extra pressure, says Cole, which would be one reason the Panthers handed defensive tackle Kawann Short an extension earlier this week, as the club may have wanted to ensure Short was present for offseason activities.

Here’s more from around the league, all courtesy of Cole:

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson displayed a “CEO presence” in predraft meetings with NFL team, and his intangibles are highly impressive to personnel executives, reports Cole (video link), who adds Watson is considered the best leader among the top QB prospects. Listed at 6’2″, 220 pounds, Watson’s size does have some scouts concerned, as they aren’t sure he’ll be able to withstand the pounding of an NFL campaign. For what it’s worth, I sent Watson to Kansas City in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
Some NFL decision-makers believe Washington cornerback Kevin King is the most overrated player in the 2017 draft, per Cole (video link). King is an impressive physical specimen, especially for a defensive back, as he stands at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. But evaluators don’t believe King’s performance on the field matches his stature. While King has been creeping into the first round of mock drafts — specifically as a possible Seahawks target — one scout said he grades King as no better than a seventh-round choice.
As Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this week, the 49ers and Jets are among the clubs most eager to trade down at the top of the draft, but any such deals could come with a relatively cheap price attached, according to Cole (video link). Outside of Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, the draft doesn’t contain multiple “overwhelming” players, per Cole, while the supply of clubs looking to trade down doesn’t equal the demand of teams hoping to move up.
One prospect that could lead to draft-day discussions is Stanford pass rusher Solomon Thomas, whom most NFL clubs consider the “clear” No. 2 player in this year’s class, reports Cole (video link). If the cost of trading up does remain low, several teams might consider moving up the board in order to land Thomas, as such a maneuver would be viewed as an “extraordinary bargain.”

Draft Rumors: Jets, Mahomes, Foster

April 12th, 2017 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s not a guarantee that the Jets will select a quarterback at No. 6 overall, but they’re certainly doing their homework in that area. Today, the Jets are meeting yet again with Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Earlier this month, Mahomes did a private workout with Gang Green and he apparently did well enough to warrant further consideration. After the college season, Mahomes looked to be a second or third-round type of player. Now, all signs are pointing towards him going in the first round. It’s even possible that he could be the second QB off the board.

Here’s more NFL Draft news:

The Saints are still evaluating linebackers and expected to have Reuben Foster in for a pre-draft visit on Wednesday, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Foster has already met with a number of clubs and has a busy schedule still ahead of him between now and the draft. He won’t be on the board for long and Dallas Robinson’s mock draft 1.0 has him going inside of the top ten.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback coach Rich Scangarello flew to Chapel Hill, North Carolina last Thursday to work out Mitch Trubisky, a league source tells Schefter (on Twitter). If the latest rumors are to be believed, Trubisky might not be available when SF picks at No. 2.
Cal quarterback Davis Webb is visiting the Seahawks today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Many believe he’s a first-round QB, Rapoport adds.
The Jaguars are still doing their quarterback homework and they have scheduled a private workout next week with Pitt QB Nathan Peterman, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter).
The Raiders have scheduled cornerback Kevin King for a visit today (Wednesday). King is an Oakland-area native.

Draft Notes: Browns, Bills, King, Fins

April 10th, 2017 at 7:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There’s reportedly a chance LSU running back Leonard Fournette will go No. 1 overall to the Browns in this month’s draft, but Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com doesn’t expect that to happen. The odds of coming off the board with the top pick continue to favor Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, though Cleveland could give some consideration to North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, notes Cabot. The Browns do have another first-rounder, No. 12 overall, and they’d have interest in taking Fournette there, Cabot writes. However, it doesn’t seem as if Fournette will still be available then.

Garrett, meanwhile, informed Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine that he wants the Browns to draft him, vowing to get revenge if they don’t. On why he should be the first choice this year, Garrett offered: “Because I’ll be a difference maker from day one. And I’m not gonna be in any trouble. I’m just gonna make plays and bring a good atmosphere to your organization. And I’m gonna start winning and winning now. And because if you don’t draft me No. 1, I will punish your team for the next 10 to 12 years. I’ll knock your QB out of the game every time we play you, and I’ll have to kick the hell out of No. 1, whoever it is.”

More of the latest draft-related news:

Buffalo continues to show interest in potential first-round quarterbacks. The Doug Whaley-led Bills, who are reportedly “in love” with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, met with Trubisky on Sunday. Before doing that, the Bills worked out Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer on Saturday, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Team brass, including owner Terry Pegula, also had dinner with Kizer.
University of Washington cornerback Kevin King will visit the Eagles, Raiders, Browns and Ravens this week, reports FOX Sports’ Charles Davis (on Twitter). King, a prospective first-rounder, received an invitation to the draft, adds Davis.
University of Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya met with Dolphins head coach Adam Gase last week, relays Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins are unlikely to end up with the projected mid-rounder, though, as they probably won’t consider selecting a signal-caller until late in the draft, per Jackson.

Cowboys Meet With 21 NFL Draft Prospects

April 4th, 2017 at 6:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys have now used more than two-thirds of their 30 allotted predraft visits, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link), Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), and Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News have provided the list of prospects with whom Dallas has met:

Colorado CB Chidobe Awuzie
Tennessee DE Derek Barnett
Ohio DE Tarell Basham
Ohio State CB Gareon Conley
Oregon State DB Treston Decoud
USC CB Adoree’ Jackson
Washington CB Kevin King
Villanova DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
USC JuJu Smith-Schuster
Florida CB Teez Tabor
Clemson CB Cordrea Tankersley
Colorado S Tedric Thompson
LSU CB Tre’Davious White
Utah S Marcus Williams
Florida CB Quincy Wilson
Louisiana Tech S Xavier Woods

The Cowboys’ visits with Michigan DE Taco Charlton, UCLA DE Takkarist McKinley, UConn S Obi Melifonwu, UCLA CB Fabian Moreau, and Wisconsin LB T.J. Watt had all been previously reported.

NFL Draft Rumors: Browns, Cook, Lattimore

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are hosting Florida State running back Dalvin Cook on a visit today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). There are a handful of other big-name guys with Cook, including Takkarist McKinley, Quincy Wilson, and Joe Mixon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.

The Browns own the Nos. 1 and 12 overall picks in this year’s draft. Cook widely projects as a mid-to-late first-round pick, so he could theoretically be in range at No. 12. It also stands to reason that the Browns are open to wheeling and dealing, so it’s anyone’s guess as to what first-round picks they’ll hold when it comes time in late April.

Cleveland has tethered restricted free agent Isaiah Crowell with a tender and the Browns also slated to have Duke Johnson Jr. return in 2017. Running back might not be their top need, but they’ll be open to improving their team in any way possible.

Here’s the latest NFL Draft news:

Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore is visiting the Bears today, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bears pick at No. 3 and they could consider Lattimore, the player widely considered to be this year’s top cornerback. The Bears’ top corners, as of this writing, are Cre’Von LeBlanc and Prince Amukamara.
Wide receiver John Ross will visit with the Titans, NFL Media’s Chase Goodbread writes. Several recent mock drafts have connected Ross to the Titans at No. 18 overall. Tennessee has been in the market for wide receiver upgrades but Eric Weems currently stands as their highest impact free agent addition at the position. Ross’ blazing speed has caught the attention of talent evaluators across the league and his stock appears to be soaring.
UCLA linebacker Takkarist McKinley is visiting the Browns, Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals all in a row, Rapoport tweets. We heard last month that he would visit with some of these AFC North teams, but we now know that he’ll be polishing off the AFC North in rapid succession.
University of Washington cornerback Kevin King is visiting the Jets on Monday (today), according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). The Jets are looking to upgrade their secondary and King could be a consideration at No. 39 overall. However, with more and more buzz surrounding the corner, they might have to look into acquiring a pick somewhere between their No. 6 overall pick and their second-round choice if they want him. King has the makings of a Day 1 pick and Dallas could be eyeing him at No. 28.
The Steelers and Giants have been all over quarterback workouts this year and it leads Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) to believe that they’ll each target a QB in the middle rounds.

East Notes: Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Eagles

March 31st, 2017 at 4:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets did not make a real effort to re-sign Geno Smith, as NJ.com’s Connor Hughes writes. When asked whether he had any contact with the quarterback during free agency, coach Todd Bowles replied, “No. I would have been happy to have him back. But things don’t work out like that all the time.” Smith will now look for a fresh start with the other tenant of the Meadowlands.