From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Penn State linebacker Kobe King.
#41 KOBE KING, LB, PENN STATE (rJR) – 6010, 248 lbs.
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Kobe King | 6010/248 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Good size and physicality between the tackles
— Active communicator to get the defense on the same page
— Gets good depth in Zone coverage; keep eyes on QB
— Good screen recognition
— Good pad level and play strength taking on blocks
— Used to blitz inside, rush from the edge, or as the looper
— Good tackler with good stopping power
The Bad
— Gets manipulated from his area in Zone coverage
— Marginal awareness of receivers in his area
— Doesn’t flow to the ball in coverage when it’s outside his area
— Slips off tackles of bigger players
— Slow to recover after biting on play action
— Adequate mental processing versus outside runs
— Overruns the ball, allowing cut-back lanes
— Will commit to gaps before the runner does
— Hand placement inconsistent taking on blocks
Bio
— Career: 200 tackles, 113 solo, 19 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 PBU, 2 FR for 14 yards, 1 TD, 1 FF
— 2024: 97 tackles, 53 solo, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FF
— 46 games/27 starts
— 2024 second-team All-Big Ten
— Twin brother Kalen was drafted in 2024 by Green Bay
— 2023: honorable mention All-Big Ten
— 2024 second on the team in total tackles
— One of the team’s captains
— In high school, also on wrestling and track and field teams
— Majoring in recreation, park, and tourism management
— Birthday 1/28/2003 (22)
Tape Breakdown
Kobe King is an inside linebacker with good height and weight. He played in an even front defense and occasionally lined up on the edge. He is an active communicator, has solid speed, and has good play strength.
Against the pass, he was most commonly used in Zone coverage, dropping to the middle of the field. He gets solid depth and plays with his eyes on the quarterback. When asked to play Man coverage it was usually taking the running back out of the backfield. I saw one rep as the Tampa Two linebacker and displayed solid speed to run with the receiver to the deep third. He displays good recognition and solid speed on wide receiver screens to close on the receiver.
He was used to blitz from the inside and occasionally lined up outside to rush from the edge. He displayed solid timing on the blitz and plays with good pad level and play strength to take on blockers. They also used him to loop inside from the outside.
Against the run, he was best coming downhill to fill gaps. He took on blocks in front of him with good pad level and physicality. Against lateral block, he was solid, holding his ground to stay in the running lane. He was solid when scraping down the line of scrimmage and working through traffic.
He tackles with good play strength and physicality and can deter yards after contact. When taking on a puller, he uses good leverage and play strength to squeeze the gap. On the goal line, they would occasionally use him on the edge, and he plays with good pad level and short area burst.
In Zone coverage, he is marginally recognizing receivers coming through his area because his eyes are so focused on the quarterback. The quarterback’s eyes easily manipulate him to drift out of his area, opening passing areas.
In Zone, he was marginally flowing to the ball unless it was in his immediate area. When biting on play-action, he didn’t consistently make the effort to get back in coverage. Against tight ends and bigger backs, he slipped off of tackles.
He was poor in Man coverage, playing too high, with tight hips and adequate acceleration to hang with a back or tight ends.
Against the run, his mental processing was adequate on runs to the outside. He would overrun the ball, leaving cutback lanes. He would commit too soon to one gap, leaving another open before the running back commits. When taking on blocks, he has adequate hand placement to keep blockers off his body.
Conclusion
Overall, King has good size, solid speed, good play strength, and is an active communicator. Against the pass, he gets solid depth in Zone coverage and plays with his eyes on the quarterback. He was used to blitz inside and occasionally rush on the edge. Against the run, he plays with good physicality, triggers downhill quickly, and can hold his ground against blocks.
Areas to improve include his awareness in Zone coverage, avoiding drifting from his area, and flowing to the ball. Tackling technique versus bigger players, his mental processing, and not overrunning the ball carrier can all use improvement.
King has the size and physicality teams desire at the position, but his mental processing and coverage skills need to improve. His best fit is as a strong-side linebacker in an even front defense or a BUCK linebacker in an odd front, but he would need to come out on passing downs. He’ll have to earn his stripes on special teams while being a reserve linebacker to make the roster.
For a player comp, Noah Sewell. Coming out of college, he, too, plays with good physicality, power, and aggressiveness while struggling with instincts and coverage.
Projection: Late Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.4 End of Roster/Practice Squad (6th Round)
Games Watched: 2024 –Vs Illinois, Vs UCLA, Vs Ohio State, Vs Oregon, Vs Notre Dame
