Making the case for Jets to draft Kevin King

The New York Jets are in dire need of help in their defensive secondary. If they were able to land cornerback Kevin King in the 2017 NFL Draft, it would be a step in the right direction.

With a severe lack of talent in the defensive secondary, the New York Jets will be looking to add help wherever they can in the 2017 NFL Draft. With that being said, Kevin King out of the University of Washington would be an excellent addition at cornerback.

Coming into the 2017 NFL offseason, it was extremely clear that the Jets would need to add to their depleted cornerback group. They made a very nice addition by signing former Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Morris Claiborne, but with that being the lone addition, there’s still plenty of work to be done.

Luckily for the Jets, this year’s draft has an outstanding cornerback class, and there are a number of talented prospects who they should be very interested in. King is one of those prospects and he would be a great fit for Todd Bowles‘ defense.

King is a very sizable corner at 6’3″ and 200 pounds with great physicality, but he also has elite speed, athleticism, which he displayed at the 2017 NFL Combine. He put up some very impressive numbers including a forty yard dash time of 4.43, a vertical jump of 39.5 inches, and a three-cone drill time of 6.56 seconds. It’s not often that you’ll see a cornerback with the fluidity and athleticism that King has at his size.

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The main factor that would make King a great fit for Bowles’ defense is his impressive play in press coverage (the main style of coverage used in Bowles’ scheme). His size and length make it incredibly difficult for balls to get past him, and he does a great job of keeping his receiver funneled along the sideline when he can.

Another positive trait of King’s is his outstanding versatility. He’s played extensively at all cornerback positions including the slot, and he even played a little bit at safety during his time at Washington. He’s also very versatile when it comes to coverage as he mostly played at a high level in both man and zone coverage.

The last major trait that makes King very desirable is his outstanding play in the red-zone. He uses his size and football skills to help break up plays in some of the most crucial moments near the end-zone. This is a trait that goes a long way in helping to decide games, and the Jets need to rebuild with players who can do that.

With all of these factors considered, King would undoubtedly be an awesome addition to the Jets’ roster. He has all of the tools necessary to be successful with the team. His value may not match up with the No. 6 overall pick, but if the Jets have the chance to select him later, they’d be wise to do so.

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