Early NFL Draft scouting report: Desmond King, CB, Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Desmond King turned down the 2016 NFL Draft so he could graduate college. Let’s take a look at what he brings to the table…

Iowa Hawkeyes star cornerback Desmond King — the 2015 Jim Thorpe award winner as the nation’s defensive back — shockingly returned for his senior season. College football fans and Iowa faithful will be treated to another year of King’s dominance on the field, something that started back when he was a true freshman starting for Kirk Ferentz.

Early on, King’s prowess in coverage was evident, but I don’t think anyone could have imagined the type of success he would have as he continued to develop and get better and better.

As a junior, I can remember thinking to myself while watching King play that he looked like a pro athlete out there with a bunch of college guys. He just has that kind of natural feel for the game. His ability to play multiple different kinds of coverage at a high level and also contribute on special teams will undoubtedly attract the NFL’s attention, as if they haven’t already.

It’s not just the highlight plays that King makes, either. While he gets his hands on the ball a ton, King comes up and does the dirty work at the line of scrimmage as well. He’s always been willing to hit somebody, and it’s sad to even say it like this, but he’s a good tackler for a cornerback.

Some guys just want to go out there and pick off passes and try and be fast. King wants to get in the mix on every single down.

I’ve seen enough from King to know that I would use a first round pick on him if I were an NFL general manager. The level to which he has grown since 2014 is remarkable. With 72 tackles, 13 pass breakups, and eight interceptions last year, there’s no doubt in my mind that King should be considered the top senior defensive back in the country and a top flight NFL draft prospect.

There are some who feel like King will go the route of some of his predecessors at Iowa and play free safety in the NFL, which wouldn’t be terrible. I think he’s too strong on the perimeter to make a move to safety full time, but I think he could play there if the need arises and he would excel if moved there permanently.

That’s the good thing about guys who are just really good football players — you can just plug them in.

For me, the top comparison for King would be Chris Harris Jr. of the Denver Broncos. He’s just physical, able to play a variety of positions, and provide you with the type of ball-hawking skills you covet in your no. 1 cornerback. He hasn’t let the success go to his head, and he just puts his head down and works harder.

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Despite coming back for a fourth year, King will only be 22 when he gets drafted by an NFL team next Spring. His best days are yet ahead of him, and already we’ve seen flashes of the kind of brilliance he brings to the table.

King reads the eyes of the quarterback extremely well. He uses his instincts and athleticism to make plays on the football, but it’s like he knows where the receiver is supposed to be before even the receiver does. He’s always in the right position.

There are so many good things I could say about King’s game. The knock against him as of now is that some question his straight line speed and acceleration. With his instincts, hip movement, and ball skills, it’s hard to see that as a real weakness for King.

He’s going to be a really good NFL player, and perhaps the first defensive back off the board next Spring.

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