LB Kobe King

[StickierBuns]

This is an interesting selection for Minnesota because he's limited athletically, not a typical KAM pick. Productive at Penn State. Dense and muscular bad ass, but operates best in a box not chasing or running, but can flow/shed and is instinctive. He'll hit you hard. He's really a Mike LB. Special teams pick probably. Maybe they saw something in him like they saw in Ivan Pace Jr. although King is bigger and stronger. Would definitely add some bad assery to the LB core as a situational guy, but I think the odds are long he sticks but he might move a guy off the end of the roster with good special teams play. 

[MaroonBells]

I didn't watch King at all before the draft, but he's an intriguing guy. Flores uses his linebackers first and foremost to stop the run. And because he uses Metellus all over the field, he doesn't seem to mind LBs who can't cover so long as they excel against the run. Pace is exactly like that. 

Vikings typically keep 4 ILBs, and with Asamoah a special-teams-only guy, King will likely push him off the roster as long as he can prove he's not going to hurt us on special teams. But I think Wilson is ILB3.

[JR44]

From the draft videos it looked as though they were targeting him in earlier rounds, so was a guy it appeared they really wanted. They beefed up the DL and maybe felt they needed a real thumper behind them to get better against short yardage running.

[MaroonBells]

From the draft videos it looked as though they were targeting him in earlier rounds, so was a guy it appeared they really wanted.  They beefed up the DL and maybe felt they needed a real thumper behind them to get better against short yardage running.

His consensus ranking was about a round before where the Vikings took him. I think ILB in a 3-4 is one of the lesser impact positions, so you can sometimes get good ones in the later rounds. Two of the best, Fred Warner and Zach Baun, were 3rd rounders. Cashman was a 5th rounder and Pace was undrafted. Love to get a player of that caliber in King.

[JimmyinSD]

I dont know that you waste a draft pick on a special teams player unless its a K, P, or LS or returner maybe. If you are taking a position player with a draft pick it better be a guy you think can fill a role on O or D.

[greediron]

I liked the pick. With Detroit and Philly focusing on the running game, the D has to have an answer. Especially in short yardage situations. Offenses are swinging back to the running game since defenses have all gone small and fast. Defenses will have to respond.

[StickierBuns]

I dont know that you waste a draft pick on a special teams player unless its a K, P, or LS or returner maybe.  If you are taking a position player with a draft pick it better be a guy you think can fill a  role on O or D.

I think you go for floor as a special teamer and then the upside is contributor week to week as the ceiling with a guy picked where he was in the Draft. Maybe you strike gold like with Ivan Pace Jr. I'm sure you're always panning for gold at some level being a NFL GM. King is a thumper, so fingers crossed.

[Bunsen82]

Teams are running the ball more and more. At least getting to a more balanced attack. King does 2 things, 1 is he can play special teams, 2 is we missed that thumper from the linebacking group when Pace got injured. We needed another run stuffer to put in with Cashman. When teams get more physical he can be put in to really improve the run defense. I think his coverage skills are better than what has been shown. Even still, he is not likely to get schemed on 1 on 1 coverage in this defensive scheme. I think he will be an integral part of the defense if not this year, possibly in a year or two. Remember this is Pace's 3rd year as a udfa so he will be looking to get paid after this year.