Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
6 6 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 4 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / K alen King was always on a faster career track than twin brother Kobe during their time together at Penn State, but their divergent paths may yet lead to the same destination. Chosen in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by Green Bay this past April, Kalen King is looking to earn a spot in the Pack- ers' secondary after electing to forgo his senior season with the Nittany Lions. Kobe King, meanwhile, is trying to burnish his own professional résumé by shining at middle linebacker as a red- shirt junior. To hear his brother tell it, that's more than just a possibility. Asked this spring, what he expects to see from Kobe in 2024, Kalen said simply, "I ex- pect dominance." Unlike his brother, who started a game as a true freshman cornerback and was a second-team All-American by Year 2, Kobe King had to absorb the complexi- ties of a middle linebacker position that requires highly developed diagnostic and communication skills. He needed time to adapt to that role and ended up redshirt- ing as a true freshman. The following year, King backed up Ty- ler Elsdon but still saw action in 13 games and became a more frequent contributor as the season went on. Then as a redshirt sophomore last fall, he won the starting job and finished as Penn State's second- leading tackler with 59 stops, including 6 for loss and 1.5 sacks. King received an 83.4 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, ranking fifth on Penn State's defense. But there's been much more to his develop- ment than just steadily improving num- bers. King has also emerged as one of the defense's foremost leaders, stepping into a role that Ellis Brooks handled when he was a true freshman. "I think the younger guys respect me enough that they listen to me. They re- spect what I say and take value in what I say because it's coming from a good place," King said. "It's coming from a guy with experience who wants the best for myself and everyone." Since arriving at Penn State in Decem- ber, defensive coordinator Tom Allen has been watching King forcefully exert his influence and has been impressed with what he's seen. "You have to be loud and confident to run the defense," Allen said. "He brings that. He has experience and has a ton of passion for what he does. He's respected, he works really hard and he practices well. "He's bringing guys with him, and they're doing a lot of things on their own this summer. He's been awesome with that. It's been a big growth step for him. That's what leaders do, and to me, that's a huge step." King had been playing football along- side his brother since their days growing up in Detroit. Both were four-year letter- men and two-time captains at Cass Tech, with Kalen earning four stars in the On3 Industry Ranking and Kobe three. Fit For A King Kobe King has settled into his role as one of the leaders of Penn State's defense M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M King finished second on the team with 59 tackles as a redshirt junior, including 6 for loss and 1.5 sacks. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL