In an unexpected turn of events, Penn State cornerback Kalen King experienced a humbling experience during the 2024 NFL Draft. Once considered a first-round prospect, King ultimately landed in the seventh round, selected by the Green Bay Packers as the 257th overall pick.

During a conference call with the Packers media on Saturday night, King openly expressed his emotions, at times fighting back tears as he recounted the three grueling days of waiting. He was confronted with the question, "What happened?" How did a player who was a second-team All-American in 2022 end up being drafted so much later the following year?

With raw honesty, King shared his reaction. "It's extremely motivating," he acknowledged. Confronted with the reality of not being chosen where he had hoped, witnessing numerous names announced ahead of his own, King admitted that it has left a permanent chip on his shoulder – a constant reminder that he must keep proving himself.

After an impressive sophomore season in 2022, where King led the Big Ten in pass breakups with 21, and successfully diverted attention from his teammate Joey Porter Jr., expectations were high for him. However, his productivity took a dip the following season, accompanied by a subpar performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, reflected in his lower-tier 6.68 Relative Athletic Score.

As the draft progressed, King watched 33 cornerbacks get selected before him, including his teammate Daequan Hardy in the sixth round. The fifth round alone saw ten cornerbacks taken off the board. However, despite the disappointment, King found solace in believing that his selection was part of a greater plan. "I felt like today was a blessing and a curse," he confessed. "Even though I didn't get drafted where I wanted to, I felt like God made the right choice for me. I feel like I'm in a place where I'm supposed to be, and I'm happy that I got my name called."

Known for his game speed rather than his 40-yard dash time (which clocked in at 4.62 seconds at the combine), King is aware that he will need to prove himself in Green Bay, where General Manager Brian Gutekunst expressed his admiration for King's determination. Gutekunst acknowledged that many players in the NFL have used the feeling of being overlooked as motivation to excel, and he hopes the same will be true for King. He also revealed that the team initially anticipated King being drafted higher, making his selection at that point all the more fortuitous.

King himself affirmed that the draft position merely represents where he was "slotted" and not the true measure of his skills. He has already studied the Packers' cornerback room and is prepared for the challenges ahead. In his words, his career starts now.

"The Packers are going to get one of the most competitive guys in the country," King confidently stated. "A tough corner, a physical corner who's going to give 100 percent effort around the field at all times and make as many plays as I possibly can doing it at 100 percent."

With his draft slide serving as a humbling experience, King is determined to use it as fuel to drive him forward. He has dealt with doubters in his ear and acknowledges the skepticism surrounding him in recent months. However, he remains resolute in his abilities and is ready to prove himself to the world.

As Kalen King embarks on his professional football journey with the Green Bay Packers, he carries with him the motivation to surpass expectations and the determination to turn his draft disappointment into a springboard for success.