Another pick is in for our Minnesota Vikings in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they have once again gone over to the defensive side of the football.
With the 201st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings have selected linebacker Kobe King from Penn State University.
King actually committed to Penn State with his brother, Kalen, back in 2021. Kalen left Penn State early last season and was drafted with the 255th overall pick by Green Bay. Kobe chose to stay another season and has now found his way to Minnesota, so now hopefully the two of them will get to match up with one another twice a year. Linebacker might not have been thought of as a position of significant need for the Vikings, but King seems to be too great a value to pass on at this point in the Draft.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic has King as the #8 linebacker in this year’s draft class, placing a fourth-round grade on him, so it seems the Vikings are getting a bit of a steal here. Here’s what Brugler has to say about King:
A two-year starter at Penn State, King was the Mike linebacker in former defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 base scheme and rarely came off the field (third-most defensive snaps for the Nittany Lions in 2024). His production and impact improved each season, and his presence in the middle of the field was a key reason why Penn State ranked No. 7 in total defense. With his violent play style, there is nothing passive about the way King plays downhill — he relies on his eyes, timing and physicality to muck up the run game. He is an adequate athlete in coverage and often finds himself in striking distance, but his lack of on-ball production reflects his struggles to impact the catch point. Overall, King will be targeted by offenses in coverage, but he fills quickly and powerfully at contact with the skill set to be a useful run defender. He projects as a throwback, early-down NFL linebacker with special teams potential.
At the very least, King seems like someone who could be a contributor on special teams early on and hopefully develop into a bit more than that down the track.
Welcome to Minnesota, Kobe King!
