The Fall of Kalen King | How far will the Penn State defender drop in the NFL Draft?

If you’ve been following my rankings since October, you’ll recall my high expectations for Penn State cornerback Kalen King entering the 2023 college football season. After an impressive 2022 campaign, he was positioned at the top of the cornerback rankings. However, throughout 2023, King’s performance appeared to decline significantly. His footwork became sloppier, he became more susceptible to big plays, and overall, he seemed like a different player compared to the previous year.

As a result of his underwhelming season, King dropped several spots in my cornerback rankings. This was not only due to his poor performance but also because of standout performances from other corners like Terrion Arnold from Alabama, Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, and Nate Wiggins from Clemson.

The NFL Scouting Combine presented an opportunity for King to improve his draft stock, but unfortunately, his performance did not meet expectations. His 4.61-second 40-yard dash was among the slowest times for cornerbacks in the draft.

As a result, King’s once-promising outlook for a first-round draft selection has diminished, and he is now projected as a day 2 player. He currently ranks around the 12th spot among cornerbacks. This is a significant drop in his draft stock compared to other players in the entire draft class.