2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Felix King, DB, Grand View University

• Name: Felix King
• Position: DB
• College: Grand View University
• Height: 5’9″
• Weight: 172 lbs
• Twitter: @FelixThaKing
• Instagram: @_feeski

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I have many highlights throughout my football career and being an athlete. I have been extremely grateful for getting this far in my football career. I have many highlights that I could mention, but the highlight that stands out to me the most and will always be memorable to me is when I was 5 and just starting to play and learn football. Ever since my parents allowed me to play football, I have been involved in summer camps and leagues every year and once I was older eventually started training all year long. This was the beginning for me in truly finding my passion for this sport and loving the game and I am thankful for that decision when I was 5 years old.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day who and why?

If I could hang out with any football player it would be Tyrann Mathieu (Honey Badger). I chose this to be my person because I consider him to be a role model to me and has influenced me to play the position of defensive back like I do now. His mentality and knowledge of the game is something that has always stood out to me, besides his athleticism on the field. He is a positive and humble person, but he doesn’t let his size determine his ability in his performance through his position.

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

The reason for me in proceeding my true dedication that I have for being a football player started when I was 5 years old. I always had an interest of how fast- paced the sport was and enjoyed the structure of the game. I was in leagues and camps, which allowed myself to create memorable moments as a football player and as a person. I played all types of positions growing up, but as I started getting older and building muscle, defensive back was a big interest to me. I eventually tried it, and I haven’t changed my position since. This sport is a true motivation and drive that was taught to me at a very young age a lot of life lessons on and off the field that I will always keep with me. This sport has allowed me to gain knowledge as a man and develop skills that will be shown in all my performances.

What sets you apart from other defensive backs?

I stand out from the other defensive backs due to my versatility, anticipation, and IQ of the game. I play with great technique and let my athletic ability take over. My versatility stands out mostly because of my experiences in playing in all three defensive back positions and being able to adapt anywhere I am. I understand and anticipate what route a wide receiver is going to run before the ball is snapped. I recognize different patterns and understand the importance of leverage and focus on the man that I am covering and not so much the quarterback. My knowledge of the game allows me to read the game, see plays happen before they happen, and perform at a higher quality than others. My dedication to making myself better and improve in my position has always given me an advantage because I am a very hardworking individual. I understand the importance of balance, physical and mental health in order to play this position at an advanced level.

How do you prepare for games?

I prepare for games by getting my mental and physical health prepared and healthy a couple days before I perform. I get my body prepared by supplying the nutrients that it needs and is expected for the most energy and best performance. I get in a good routine and stretch my body and drink a lot of water to keep myself hydrated. I prepare my mind by watching film and analyzing the opponents and/or myself. I keep myself focused and in line when it comes to the time to perform. I have learned the importance of being able to be on top of my health and how it impacts me and my ability when I play.

What is your favorite coverage and why?

My favorite coverage is man-to-man coverage. It is a true test based on skill to skill against the opponent. I like knowing and understanding the receiver’s mentality and challenging them and myself. I have the ability to read the formation of the opponent, watch their hips, explode from the backpedal, and maintain proper leverage. Man-to-man pass coverage is one of the most difficult football defensive skills to master. I have speed, agility, and technique I use against the opponent. I enjoy the physical comparison in skill and ability when dealing with man-to-man coverage.

What should we know about Felix King the person?

Important components about myself are my drive in my athleticism and dedication in anything I do. I am very success driven and want nothing but the best for myself. I appreciate failure because it allows me to gain knowledge to do better and problem solve to make myself better in the future. I am a humble yet competitive person because I know that between my dedication and strength, I bring a lot of positivity to people around me and in my performances. I am hard working and passionate in everything that I do. I want success in all aspects of my life, and I will work hard for the things that I want.

What are you looking forward to in your upcoming season?

The upcoming season is planned for hard work, dedication, and positive change. We as a team will be working hard this season in order to be as successful if not more as we were last year. The teams that we will be playing this year, along with ourselves, have a significantly high abundance of experience and offer a lot of great opportunities for this season. Personally, I am always looking forward to growing as a football player and expanding my knowledge and physical ability to get better each time I am granted the opportunity to play. I know that this season is going to be challenging and full of obstacles, but I am willing to achieve them and work hard for what is planned for me.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

How I handle challenges in life reflects immensely on my ability as a football player. I need to be the best that I can be mentally and physically in life to perform at the best of my ability on the field. I had to learn how to handle my stress and anxiety and be able to fully understand myself and learn how to deal with the emotions and feelings that I felt in a responsible manner. I did that by really taking care of myself and doing things for me by creating a stricter diet, working out two times a day, becoming more educated about my body and the work I put it through, and most importantly, genuinely taking care of my mental health. The way I balance stress and hardships I face in life is very similar to how I balance it with football and on the field. When I see myself not performing or acting as I know I should when playing, I take a step back and listen to my body. I supply it with what it needs, give it the rest and relaxation that it needs and will analyze how I want to change or what steps to take to be better for the next day. I have kept growing from there and I have seen a lot of positive changes in the way I have felt and learned to listen to my body.

What would a team get in a player like you?

Being on a team brings out a lot of positives in myself along with things that I know I could work on. A team learns from me, and I learn from my team. I have great sportsmanship, attitude, and confidence. I notice that people around me appreciate my attitude, knowledge, and ability for the game. I am very passionate about the sport and my teammates, coaches, and family members know how important football is to me. I know that when I don’t perform to the best of my ability, I tend to get hard on myself and don’t appreciate the good that I have accomplished so far. I am still learning that bad days happen playing football, I am learning to appreciate those days more than the good ones, in order for me to learn and become better within myself and within the game.

What teammates push you the hardest in practice?

The teammates with the most athletic ability and strong mentality push me the most. Those teammates are the ones that usually have to work hard for what they want, and they know the effort that it takes to show up every day, perform, and use their strength. The defensive and offensive units in total push and motivate each other within any aspect. I like to be challenged and I enjoy being pushed and tested in my ability. I see myself as having a strong athleticism, and I am a person that works hard and truly believes in myself for what it takes for success.

What type of energy do you bring onto the football field?

The type of energy that I bring onto the field is humble, yet aggressive and competitive. I focus more than talk when it is time to play. I lead my team with a positive attitude and consider myself to be dependable in critical situations. I have tough mental and physical traits and make good decisions when I perform under pressure. I show a good demonstration of social skills, discipline, respect, personal control and leadership. I have learned and developed these skills since I started playing football at a young age and will continue to portray these characteristics.