Will King leave for the NFL?

[mopkins]

Cornerbacks dont need need blazing speed to be good at covering. Haden with the Browns is widely regarded as one of the best cover corners and ran a 4.7 at the combine. Rivas ran like a 4.5 I think, but he clearly doesn't have elite speed when you watch him. Charles Woodson was never a blazer. Playing corner is ALL about change of direction in the hip area, or "fluid hips" as mayock says. King is very fluid in open space, more so then any Iowa player I can remember. And what makes anyone on here think he doesn't have speed? He outran marylands receivers on the pick 6. He ran step for step with Boyd on both picks against Pitt. He does take chances but he is rarely out of position. He is as instinctually gifted as any elite corner I have watched this year and I have never once considered speed a concern for him. Just curious why everyone is questioning his speed anyway?

Darrelle Revis ran a 4.38 40-yard dash in his pre-draft workout in front of scouts. Richard Sherman ran a 4.56 but he's also 6'3.

I don't think speed is everything, but I think it will be a "knock" on him entering the draft...fair or not. What he did against Boyd though has to be taken into consideration.

 

[SpiderRico]

His decision will be based solely on where the NFL guys say he will project when he puts his paperwork in at the end of this year. If they come back with 1st or 2nd round, he's gone. If they come back with 3rd round, he'll have a tough decision. Anything below the 3rd round and he comes back.

 

[Fryowa]

Darrelle Revis ran a 4.38 40-yard dash in his pre-draft workout in front of scouts. Richard Sherman ran a 4.56 but he's also 6'3.

I don't think speed is everything, but I think it will be a "knock" on him entering the draft...fair or not. What he did against Boyd though has to be taken into consideration.

Agree, but I also think his ability to pick passes and be in the right spot will offset some of it. It's like pitching in baseball; you can train someone to be good at it but not great.

 

[Fryowa]

No one here would like it if he left but I don't think there's anyone who would blame the kid. I'd dare say most of us would do the same thing. My main concern wouldn't so much improving my position in the draft as it would be avoiding injury. All it would take would be an ACL or ankle and bye bye dreams.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

Given how he is doing so far. I doubt he will pass up 2nd round money for another year of college football.

 

[sioux34]

I have a hard time seeing any reason he would come back. What more could he do next year to increase his draft stock? I will hate to see him go, but I won't blame him at all.

 

[uihawk82]

From the money angle it depends on how much is guaranteed dollars. A 5 million contract in the NFL is not worth a cent if there is no guaranteed money and you get cut/injured and never catch on anywhere else.

My feeling is if he can get 1-2 million guaranteed then go and finish your degree later. But if you pay the premium on an insurance policy for one year to guard against injury then that is cool too if he stays.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

CBS sports had him ranked 9th best CB ... along with ranked 11th here: http://walterfootball.com/draft2016CB.php

Would love to see him return for obvious reasons

Yes, either this year or next year.

 

[Hawk1960]

Might be a real tough decision for him. If those projections are correct ... anywhere from the 2nd round through 4th round ... that's a tough choice. Big difference between 2nd round money and 4th round money. Can't say I blame him if he goes but would love to see him come back and be a 1st rounder next year. That worked out well for Scherff.

 

[BlindDogScooter]

He said he's staying. I have no reason to not take him at his word. There are plenty of reasons to finish out your eligibility other than jockeying for draft position.

 

[tm3308]

I don't think he stays at Iowa. What has Iowa to offer him that he hasn't already mastered? Certainly not an improvement of his cover skills, unless there's a new defensive scheme at Iowa to cover receivers (hint, hope). I believe King will be the next Micah Hyde for some team in the NFL...a good safety.

Does King have the speed to be cornerback in the NFL? I know he doesn't have the skills to be cornerback in the NFL.

That's ridiculous. He's not a burner, so questioning his speed for an NFL corner is fair. But he absolutely has the skills. His ball skills are tremendous, he's a great tackler in the open field (I'd wager he's one of the best in the country at holding the edge in the run game), and while he doesn't have outstanding straight-line speed, he's got the fluid hips to turn and run with receivers without losing speed that NONE of Ferentz's other great corners had. That's why Hyde, Godfrey and Spievey all ended up at safety. They didn't have the hip fluidity that King has. Then throw in the intangibles with his film study/instincts, and you've got a legitimate NFL corner. Honestly, his skills and measurables, other than physical size, are very similar to Richard Sherman.

 

[Fryowa]

He said he's staying. I have no reason to not take him at his word. There are plenty of reasons to finish out your eligibility other than jockeying for draft position.

That was before he had 8 picks and before he was playing on a team getting nationwide attention.

Look man I don't want him to go either, but if he ends up projected to go in the first couple rounds and gets offered some guaranteed cash I won't fault the guy one bit. As for there being other reasons for staying besides improving your draft spot, let's be realistic here. DK came to Iowa to play ball and hopefully get a shot at the majors, and I say good for him. I would have killed for that kind of ability and opportunity. If he were in school for academics first there are plenty of excellent universities a lot closer to Detroit.