Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers: What's Kevin King's role in 2017?

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:08 a.m. ET

Fansided, Hunter Noll/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

The Green Bay Packers selected cornerback Kevin King out of Washington in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, but what role will he play this season?

One of the Green Bay Packers' biggest weaknesses heading into this offseason was their defensive back unit. Due to that, they made it a point to bolster secondary on draft day, selecting Kevin King with their first pick, No. 33 overall to start the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The cornerback spent four years at the University of Washington. There, he collected six interceptions and 22 pass deflections in 43 games.

His coverage skills made him an elite defensive back prospect heading into the draft. The Packers were lucky enough to have him available to them in the second round (33rd pick). Another intriguing part of King is his size. Listed at 6-3, 200 pounds, he's one of the taller corners in the NFL. That, mixed with his coverage and ball skills, help to create a cornerback who can contribute to a team immediately.

This is fantastic news for the Packers. Before the draft, their cornerback corps was pretty thin. LaDarius Gunter, Damarious Randall, and Quinten Rollins are all exciting young defensive backs on the Packers roster. However, none of them are ready to be number ones, and it's uncertain if they ever will be.

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Having those three on the roster gives the Packers a decent amount of depth, but not much star power. King can change that. In fact, he'll get to work on that immediately, as he should be thrust into action from the start.

Another bright side to King is his ability to play multiple roles in a defense. During his time in college, he covered most secondary positions. That gives the Packers some extra flexibility with him.

Don't be surprised to see King on the field in week one. He might have a limited role though, playing in zone coverages to start out. Gradually as the weeks go by, his role will grow.

After making sure he's accustomed to the NFL game, the Packers will make sure he's on the field for a majority of the game. This is where his flexibility to will come into play, as he might not have a defined position just yet. Finally, by the end of the season, King could be the Packers top cornerback. By that I mean he should be getting the toughest assignments each week.

In the end, the Packers took the perfect cornerback for their situation. King has plenty of potential and room to go. At the same time though, he's NFL-ready, meaning he can help their weak secondary from the start. King's role will grow with the weeks.