Gang Green Nation
The Jets recently claimed rookie linebacker Kobe King off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings. Today we break King down in detail.
The 22-year old King is listed at 6’1″ and 250 pounds and was a sixth round pick out of Penn State in April. King, who was an all-Big Ten second-teamer in 2024, recorded four tackles in five NFL games with the Vikings but only played three defensive snaps.
Background
King was a three-star high school recruit who headed to Penn State in 2021 and redshirted his first year, although he did play in four games, recording three tackles.
In 2022, he was in a reserve role and recorded 41 tackles, four tackles for loss and three passes defensed. He also returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Over the next two seasons, he became a full-time starter. He was an all-Big Ten honorable mention in 2023 as he started 11 of 13 games and had 59 tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Then, in 2024, he followed that up by starting 16 games and earning all-Big Ten second team recognition. He was 10th in the Big Ten with 97 tackles and added 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Having declared for the 2025 draft, King attended the scouting combine but did not work out. He was a projected late round pick and the Vikings eventually selected him in the sixth round.
In the early part of his rookie season, he had basically just been used on special teams, but it was still surprising to see the Vikings cut ties with him last week. The Jets claimed him but he was inactive on Sunday against the Bengals.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what King brings to the table as a player, based on extensive research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
King lacks ideal length but has a strong frame, although he apparently weighed in almost 15 pounds lighter than his listed weight at the combine.
His pro day workout numbers were solid as he ran under 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash. His explosiveness and agility numbers were also decent and he posted an impressive 26 bench press reps.
Usage
King is an off-ball linebacker, who usually played as an inside or middle linebacker. He’s matched up in the slot or crept up to the line at times, but not that often. He wore the headset on defense at Penn State and also did this for Minnesota in preseason.
Run defense
King established himself as a productive run defender during his college career. During his final season, he was second among Big Ten linebackers in run stops and posted excellent run defense grades on analysis site Pro Football Focus.
He is good at going sideline-to-sideline, with range and hustle in pursuit, and his technique is sound with little wasted motion and a tendency to keep himself square to the line of the scrimmage.
King is at his best when he is kept clean, but has...
