Scouting Profile: Kobe King - LB - Penn State
Sales Pitch: Traditional downhill thumper w/ good power. Below average athleticism will limit him to early down rotation and special teams duties.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Kobe King is a former 3-Star recruit from the state of Michigan, where he also lettered in wrestling and track & field. Primarily a rotation player his first two years, King started 27 games between 2023 and 2024. He was a team captain his senior season and leaves Penn Sate as a two-time All-Big 10 honoree.
King is a short, densely built linebacker, with good strength and toughness. The leader of Penn State’s stingy defense in 2024, he primarily is known for his run defense. King is quick to key and diagnose in the run game, triggering downhill to fill his gap. He does not shy away from contact and uses his strong frame and hands to take on and shed blocks at the point of attack. King has excellent eyes as a run defender in traffic, looking past blocks to ball carriers and tracking their rush paths. He meets runners in the hole with stopping power, bringing his legs and arms to wrap up and drive. King isn’t know for his third down ability, but put up a strong 2024 season as a pass rusher with 3 sacks, showing the ability to win both from depth and off the edge.
King is a below average athlete for the NFL level. He lacks the fluidity and burst to quickly change directions and chase as a run defender. Ball carriers consistently beat him to the edge on outside runs when in pursuit. King often gets caught in the wash of climbing lineman and lacks the burst to undercut blocks and create splash plays. His limited foot speed combined with short arms also create issues as a tackler in space, when he cannot square up his target. King doesn’t project favorably as a coverage player at the next level. He sets shallow drop points in zone coverage and lacks the range and redirect speed to close down on open targets. He cannot be trusted to mark RBs or TEs one-on-one in man coverage as well.
King profiles as a MIKE backer in a single gap scheme. His strength and toughness project well as an early down thumper, but limited athleticism makes him a liability on 3rd down. King projects as a Day-3 pick who primarily plays special teams and soaks up some snaps as a BASE LB.