Penn State's Justin King

[smarta5150]

If anyone wants us to take a CB in the near future you have a great game to watch and check out Justin King for Penn St.

[sago1]

If King comes out early, he'd be my choice at CB. He's also a good return man which we really need. He should go anywhere from 15 to 22 so we'd have to use the Cleveland pick on him. Of course we could also draft a WR with the Browns pick (maybe Malcolm Kelly) and get a good CB with our own pick later in the draft. Of course it all depends on the way Cowboys go re either re-singing MBIII or tendering him.

[Hostile]

Antoine Cason of Arizona is my hope.

[marchetta]

You can also check out Malcom Jenkins (#2, 6-1, 205, 4.38, Ohio St.) on the other side of the ball. He's considered the #1 CB prospect by most analysist. While King (#1, 5-11, 186, 4.35, Penn St.) is considered the 2nd or 3rd best prospect.

[marchetta]

Antoine Cason of Arizona is my hope.

Most draft sites have him running in the mid 4.5s. If that's the case, I'll pass. He may drop like the Cal Bear CB did in this years draft. Good, fundamentally sound, CBs that can't crack the 4.4 40 usually end up dropping in the draft. I think that's going to happen to him. Someone is going to get a steal in the 2nd round though.

[MichaelWinicki]

Most draft sites have him running in the mid 4.5s. If that's the case, I'll pass. He may drop like the Cal Bear CB did in this years draft. Good, fundamentally sound, CBs that can't crack the 4.4 40 usually end up dropping in the draft. I think that's going to happen to him. Someone is going to get a steal in the 2nd round though.


Good point on Cason.

What he runs come pre-draft time will be very interesting.

[kingwhicker]

King is waaay overrated. I'm a Penn State fan. Don't believe the hype. He's getting torched tonight and has all year. James Hardy of Indiana abused him badly last week.

[smarta5150]

King is waaay overrated. I'm a Penn State fan. Don't believe the hype. He's getting torched tonight and has all year. James Hardy of Indiana abused him badly last week.


Yeah, he hasn't impressed me at all.

He gives a huge cushion and seems very slow while turning his hips.

[Dayton Cowboy]

If anyone wants us to take a CB in the near future you have a great game to watch and check out Justin King for Penn St.

King was burnt toast last week and he has not had a good half against OSU thus far. Maybe he has problem with physical WR's. Last week it was Hardy. Robiske and Harline are both good sized at 6'3", fast enough, and a bit physical.

[Hostile]

Most draft sites have him running in the mid 4.5s. If that's the case, I'll pass. He may drop like the Cal Bear CB did in this years draft. Good, fundamentally sound, CBs that can't crack the 4.4 40 usually end up dropping in the draft. I think that's going to happen to him. Someone is going to get a steal in the 2nd round though.Trust me, he's faster than mid 4.5.

[SkinsandTerps]

King is what the other posters say... Not as good as advertised.

[BigWillie]

Reggie Smith from Oklahoma gets my vote. Ability to play CB or FS, plus is a dangerous return man.

If he comes out, he would definitely be atop my draft board.

[SkinsandTerps]

Reggie Smith from Oklahoma gets my vote. Ability to play CB or FS, plus is a dangerous return man.

If he comes out, he would definitely be atop my draft board.

He will be a 3rd rounder at best.

[SDogo]

King is waaay overrated. I'm a Penn State fan. Don't believe the hype. He's getting torched tonight and has all year. James Hardy of Indiana abused him badly last week.


I agree 110%. I'm a huge PSU fan and I would not touch King in the first 2 rounds.

[Wonderboyromo]

Malcolm Jenkins is the guy you want.

[ThreeSportStar80]

I think the corner from Kanas is a playmaker as well, Aqib Talib. Dude is like 6'2 and 205 lbs and runs in the 4.4 range...

[silverbear]

If King comes out early, he'd be my choice at CB. He's also a good return man which we really need. He should go anywhere from 15 to 22 so we'd have to use the Cleveland pick on him. Of course we could also draft a WR with the Browns pick (maybe Malcolm Kelly) and get a good CB with our own pick later in the draft. Of course it all depends on the way Cowboys go re either re-singing MBIII or tendering him.

These days, I find myself tending to focus in on the bigger CBs available in each draft class... this is because so many of the top WRs coming out of college these days seem to be bigger players, and I think the smaller CBs have a hard time matching up against the bigger wideouts... I make an exception if the smaller CB is VERY fast, like sub-4.4 second 40 fast... for any CB, I want to see 4.5 second 40s as a bare minimum...

Of the bigger CBs out there this year who are likely to go early, I like Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State, Mike Jenkins of South Florida, and my favorite is Zack Bowman of Nebrasa (who ought to be on the board in the later second round)... of the smaller but fast corners, depending on their running sub-4.4 at the combine or at their Pro Day workouts, I like Justin King of Penn State, Antoine Cason of Arizona, Dominique Rogers-Cromatrie of Tennessee State, and Trae Williams of South Florida... and my favorite of this latter group, Dwight Lowery of San Jose State; the guy's an interception MACHINE, racking up 13 in 15 games in junior college, then 9 more last year... he has fallen off the pace a bit this year, with "only" 3 in 8 games... I suspect this is mostly because teams are not throwing at him, but that's just a guess on my part...

That's 8 corners who ought to go in the first 2 rounds, I hope the Boys add one of them...

[Chocolate Lab]

These days, I find myself tending to focus in on the bigger CBs available in each draft class... this is because so many of the top WRs coming out of college these days seem to be bigger players, and I think the smaller CBs have a hard time matching up against the bigger wideouts... I make an exception if the smaller CB is VERY fast, like sub-4.4 second 40 fast... for any CB, I want to see 4.5 second 40s as a bare minimum...

Of the bigger CBs out there this year who are likely to go early, I like Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State, Mike Jenkins of South Florida, and my favorite is Zack Bowman of Nebrasa (who ought to be on the board in the later second round)... of the smaller but fast corners, depending on their running sub-4.4 at the combine or at their Pro Day workouts, I like Justin King of Penn State, Antoine Cason of Arizona, Dominique Rogers-Cromatrie of Tennessee State, and Trae Williams of South Florida... and my favorite of this latter group, Dwight Lowery of San Jose State; the guy's an interception MACHINE, racking up 13 in 15 games in junior college, then 9 more last year... he has fallen off the pace a bit this year, with "only" 3 in 8 games... I suspect this is mostly because teams are not throwing at him, but that's just a guess on my part...

That's 8 corners who ought to go in the first 2 rounds, I hope the Boys add one of them...What about Talib?

[Little Jr]

He's also a good return man which we really need.

Depends if we would actually use him for that. Most had Newman ahead of Trufant in 2003 because of his return ability. His return ability was part of us taking him with the 5th pic. In 4 1/2 years he's had all of 33 punt returns for us and to me he is clearly the best PR on the team. I know this year he's been hurt but I'm talking about the past 4 years.

[Cowboys&Caps]

King is waaay overrated. I'm a Penn State fan. Don't believe the hype. He's getting torched tonight and has all year. James Hardy of Indiana abused him badly last week.

Thats a future #1 WR........................do you disagree?

[Big Dakota]

What about Talib?


Did you watch the Kansas game? He looked good to me. Really came up and played the run and made a couple plays in coverage.

[silverbear]

What about Talib?

Don't like him as well as some of the others, but he should have made the list...

[BigWillie]

He will be a 3rd rounder at best.

You cannot be serious. Smith is one of the best cover men in the country.

Barring injury, if he is not a 1st rounder in the next 2 years, I will eat my shoe (and I wear a size 17).

Also, about Bowman -- nowhere near the same player we saw two years ago. The ACL and patella tendon injuries have severely slowed him down, and he just simply looks tentative this year. So far, he has not been able to earn his starting job back completely either from Cortney Grixby or Armando Murillo.

Speaking of Grixby, if that guy were 2-3 inches taller, he would make a fantastic CB. He is supposedly 5'9, but I really doubt it. When he goes to the combine, he will likely put on a show in everything but the bench. Heck, just look at him doing this leap he does before every game ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gshyF5FZS-c

[hendog]

That kid's got some mad hops. That's crazy.

[FLcowboy]

You cannot be serious. Smith is one of the best cover men in the country.

Barring injury, if he is not a 1st rounder in the next 2 years, I will eat my shoe (and I wear a size 17).

Also, about Bowman -- nowhere near the same player we saw two years ago. The ACL and patella tendon injuries have severely slowed him down, and he just simply looks tentative this year. So far, he has not been able to earn his starting job back completely either from Cortney Grixby or Armando Murillo.

Speaking of Grixby, if that guy were 2-3 inches taller, he would make a fantastic CB. He is supposedly 5'9, but I really doubt it. When he goes to the combine, he will likely put on a show in everything but the bench. Heck, just look at him doing this leap he does before every game ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gshyF5FZS-c

That's quite impressive. I'm sure someone will jump all over him in the draft.

[burmafrd]

I was a big King supporter before the season. But he has stank against the better WRs he has faced. No way on King.

[LatinMind]

in the past few yrs the first round cb's have been junk. and with the rules in the nfl cb is now limited big time.

i'd rather dallas stay with drafting them later round cb's and develope them. reeves has turned into good cb.

i'll take guys like

tyrone wheatley (colorado)
darnell terrell (mizzou)
glenn sharpe (miami)

[CrazyCowboy]

Yeah, he hasn't impressed me at all.

He gives a huge cushion and seems very slow while turning his hips.

Huge cushion? We have ENOUGH cb's who do that already

[Zaxor]

I have not been that impressed with any CB this year...:( sad really because we could really use one...now there are some than might round out to nice corners but I don't think any of them can step right in and help a team...

[dbair1967]

If anyone wants us to take a CB in the near future you have a great game to watch and check out Justin King for Penn St.

I did...cant say I was impressed

certainly not impressed enough to use a 1st rd pick on him

honestly I dont see any CB's who get me excited for next yr...certainly not 1st rd pick excited...the strength of the draft appears to be other positions

David

[dbair1967]

I have not been that impressed with any CB this year...:( sad really because we could really use one...now there are some than might round out to nice corners but I don't think any of them can step right in and help a team...

I said the same thing in another post...there just isnt any really talented CB's that get me excited enough to think using a 1st rd pick on one is worth it...especially when we have Newman, Henry and Reeves

David

[SkinsandTerps]

Not to mention, the way the NFL rules are now, even a great prospect would likely suffer.

[MichaelWinicki]

I did...cant say I was impressed

certainly not impressed enough to use a 1st rd pick on him

honestly I dont see any CB's who get me excited for next yr...certainly not 1st rd pick excited...the strength of the draft appears to be other positions

David


There are certainly no Deion's out there... Not even a "Newman" type prospect either.

[MichaelWinicki]

Not to mention, the way the NFL rules are now, even a great prospect would likely suffer.

That's why you need them even more. The lackluster ones could get away with some holding here and there... not now. Now you really need a gifted corner. One that is fast, quick and can anticipate what the receiver is going to do.

The rule changes did not minimize the position. Look at the free agent contracts these guys are signing.

[Big Dakota]

That's why you need them even more. The lackluster ones could get away with some holding here and there... not now. Now you really need a gifted corner. One that is fast, quick and can anticipate what the receiver is going to do.

The rule changes did not minimize the position. Look at the free agent contracts these guys are signing.


Parcells said about CBs, "Just keep bringing them".

[Chocolate Lab]

Did you watch the Kansas game? He looked good to me. Really came up and played the run and made a couple plays in coverage.

I've tried to a few times, but usually they don't throw at him. Colorado last week obviously avoided him, and the one time they didn't, he almost picked it off. He almost made an unbelieveable INT in the corner of the endzone last night.

I'm not sure if he has the top speed a really premier corner needs, though. In fact, I don't think he does. But he's long and lanky and has great hops and seems to play the ball very well. Like you say, he looks like a playmaker. Kind of like a smoother, little bit more athletic Henry?

[MichaelWinicki]

I wouldn't be shocked if we took two corners the first day... especially if Reeves leaves via FA.

[Big Dakota]

I've tried to a few times, but usually they don't throw at him. Colorado last week obviously avoided him, and the one time they didn't, he almost picked it off. He almost made an unbelieveable INT in the corner of the endzone last night.

I'm not sure if he has the top speed a really premier corner needs, though. In fact, I don't think he does. But he's long and lanky and has great hops and seems to play the ball very well. Like you say, he looks like a playmaker. Kind of like a smoother, little bit more athletic Henry?


A Kansas Star Swaggers on Both Sides of the Ball
By THAYER EVANS
Published: October 20, 2007

When he was a senior at L. V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Tex., Aqib Talib often stormed to the sideline after defensive series when his team’s opponent refused to throw to his side of the field


Once he reached the sideline, Talib would find his coach, Jim Ledford, and demand to play on offense.
“He’d just explode on the sidelines,” Ledford said in a telephone interview. “He’d be so frustrated that people wouldn’t challenge him. He’d be wanting me to give him the football. He would just go off because I wouldn’t.”
This season, as a junior cornerback at Kansas, the ever-confident Talib is finally getting that chance as a part-time receiver for the surprising Jayhawks (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/university_of_kansas/index.html?inline=nyt-org) (6-0, 2-0 Big 12), who are off to their best start since 1995. He has seven receptions for 174 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with three interceptions. Until last week’s victory against Baylor, he had scored a touchdown in six consecutive games dating to last season.
Yet as explosive as the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Talib is on offense, he is even better on the defensive side of the ball. Regarded by many as college football’s best cornerback at defending the pass, he is already being mentioned as a potential first-round pick in next year’s N.F.L. draft if he decides to leave college after this season.
His breathtaking play has been instrumental for the No. 15 Jayhawks, who enter today’s game at Colorado ranked ahead of the perennial powers Southern California, Florida and Texas in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
“He’s a nightmare,” said Mario Cristobal, the coach of Florida International, which lost to Kansas, 55-3, on Sept. 22.
“So many different facets of his game are explosive in nature,” Cristobal said in a telephone interview. “I don’t think there’s a guy out there like him.” But when Talib, 21, was in high school, he was not nearly as highly regarded. He started at cornerback as a junior, but Ledford said he did not begin to hit his stride until after the season, when he ran track.
Tremendously athletic, Talib did 360-degree dunks in basketball in high school. And he set a record at his school with his 36-inch vertical jump. But his speed in the 40-yard dash was only 4.6 seconds.
In March 2003, that changed during his leg of a 4x100 relay at Williams Stadium in Garland, Tex., where he propelled his team from fourth place to first.
Less than a month later, Talib was clocked in the high 4.4s for the 40, Ledford said.
“It’s almost like it jumped on him,” Ledford said of Talib’s speed. “It was amazing. That track meet was the day that we knew he was going to be something special from a speed standpoint.”
Still, Talib received little attention from recruiters. He said his only scholarship offers were from Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State and Wyoming.
Unranked as a defensive back by national recruiting services, Talib chose Kansas because it was the first university to offer him a scholarship.
“We told him he had a chance to make a difference,” Kansas Coach Mark Mangino said. “We knew he could be really dang good, but we just don’t know how good.”
During his first year at Kansas, Talib redshirted, but he quickly made his presence known. Mangino said it was difficult to keep from playing him late in the season.
“He was smoking our guys,” Mangino said. “It was easier in the games for a couple of our receivers than it was in practice.”
After starting nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2005, Talib shared the Big 12 lead in interceptions (six) as a sophomore despite being suspended for Kansas’ first two games for breaking a team rule. He also had a 42-yard touchdown reception against Missouri, his only catch of the season.
Talib said he should have won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top defensive back, last season. Instead, it went to Texas cornerback Aaron Ross, who was picked in the first round by the Giants (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/profootball/nationalfootballleague/newyorkgiants/index.html?inline=nyt-org) in April’s N.F.L. draft.
“If you go by numbers, he was behind me in every category last season in the Big 12,” Talib said, although Ross also had six interceptions.
Talib, who grew up patterning his play after (not surprisingly) Deion Sanders (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/deion_sanders/index.html?inline=nyt-per), said there was no doubt that he was the best cornerback in college football. He described his defensive mentality as simple: “Ain’t no one going to catch a pass on me.”
“I’ve proved it already,” Talib said of being college football’s top cornerback. “I’ve gotten busy every year since I’ve been in college.”
Cristobal said that Talib was a combination of the former Notre Dame (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/university_of_notre_dame/index.html?inline=nyt-org) receiver Rocket Ismail, Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester and Green Bay Packers (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/profootball/nationalfootballleague/greenbaypackers/index.html?inline=nyt-org) cornerback Charles Woodson.
Toledo Coach Tom Amstutz said Talib’s confidence elevated the play of his teammates. When Talib had a 58-yard touchdown catch and an interception against Toledo last month, Amstutz said he felt as if he was trying to stop two players.
“It was like he had a twin,” Amstutz said in a telephone interview. “If they would have let him kick, he probably could kick, too.”
If Talib skips his senior year to enter the N.F.L. draft, he will likely be a first-round pick, said Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys executive and an analyst for NFL.com (http://nfl.com/). “It’s really hard to find a defensive corner like him,” Brandt said in a telephone interview.
Before this season, Talib smiled brightly at the mention of the N.F.L. “It just kind of matters how things play out,” he said. “You kind of let it control itself.”
But if Talib’s confidence in his abilities is an indication of whether he will leave Kansas after this season, expect him to be pestering an N.F.L. coach for the ball next season.