Kalen King has a very average build for the position, with the main issue being a lack of arm length, power, and no elite athletic traits for his size. Many cornerbacks in the NFL are 5'11" and 191 lbs, but they typically have at least one athletic trait that stands out to compensate for their lack of size.

Technically, Kalen King is not at the top of his game. His footwork is very average, although he can develop quickness. Several times I've seen him cross his legs, which causes significant balance losses. He also ends up on his heels countless times. Considering he already has a deficit in power, not shifting his body weight forward means he has no chance of winning his duels.

In man coverage, he often lags behind on the receiver's release, which means he already loses the first technical aspect of the duel. Since he lacks arm length or sufficient power to compensate, he loses the second technical aspect.  In my view, he's very raw. His backpedal technique is highly improvable, and his transitions and speed are problematic for covering up his technical errors. The worst aspect of King's game is when he's in press coverage. His jam technique is awful and becomes excessively "grabby," resulting in a lot of penalties. He is outrageously dominated in terms of power, almost to the point of being ridiculed at times.

In zone coverage, he manages to recognize plays and routes from opposing wide receivers fairly consistently. The issue is that once he has an idea in his head, he doesn't let go of it and ends up too far from the receiver to make any play. His processing needs further refinement because even when he recognizes a play, he hesitates too much and struggles to be in the right position at the right time to make a big play. His closing speed (The speed at which the defender moves from point A to point B to reduce the distance between himself and the ball carrier) Sa capacité à réagir rapidement est assez intéressante. Il reste un joueur assez explosif, mais il semble tellement dépassé à certains moments que, quelle que soit sa capacité à réagir rapidement, il ne peut pas s'exprimer.

It's difficult to talk about his ball skills as he often finds himself far from the action or too roughed up to do anything. In 2022, he showed a good ability to track the ball with quick reactions and a fairly consistent ability to place his hands in the right spot. I don't think he has bad ball skills; he just struggles to consistently position himself to make a play on the ball.

King has good commitment to tackles and run support in general. His tackling technique is generally correct, although I still see too many shoulder tackles. The problem, once again, is his lack of power. He can be easily driven by wide receivers, but when facing tight ends, excuse the term, it's a massacre. In fact, during the game against Michigan, he was placed in a single high safety position to avoid being exposed in the run game. His pursuit is quite good, with correct angles.

Another issue with King is that he engages in a lot of trash talk. You probably know that I'm not against it and actually quite like it. However, judging from the reactions of opponents, he must be saying some not-so-nice words, and he's come close to starting several fights. He tends to provoke quite violent and uncontrolled reactions at times, which have nearly led to fights or penalties.

Kalen King was an intriguing prospect after his sophomore season; unfortunately, there hasn't been progression but rather regression in some areas. With a size that's at best average, NFL-level athletic traits lacking, and problematic behavior, I find it very difficult to envision a potential career for Kalen King as a CB1 or CB2. It will take time, in my opinion, to develop him, if development is possible, which doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. Potentially, he could be placed in a role as a free safety or slot corner in certain pass defense packages. King remains a competitive player who never holds back in a game, capable of showcasing some interesting flashes.
I assess Kalen King as a 5th-round prospect.