Cornerback Justin King will leave Penn State with one year of eligibility remaining and enter the NFL draft, his stepfather Terry Smith told The Associated Press last night.
"It was extremely difficult for him. Penn State is fond in Justin's heart and our family's heart," Smith told the AP. "He felt it was just the right time."
Smith was reached by The Daily Collegian last night but declined to comment. King also did not return phone messages seeking comment by press time yesterday.
Penn State sports information director Jeff Nelson said he was not aware of King's intention to enter the draft. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley declined to comment.
King, a first-team All-Big Ten selection this year, said after the regular season he was "50-50" on whether he would stay for a possible senior season or jump to the pros. After mulling the decision with his family following the Nittany Lions' Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl game against Texas A&M, King decided to skip his senior year.
King joins a talented group of underclassman cornerbacks who have announced plans to leave school early; it is a list that includes Kansas junior Aqib Talib, an All-American, and Wisconsin's Jack Ikegwuonu, a two-time All-Big Ten selection.
King, who enrolled at Penn State in January 2005 and graduated with an undergraduate degree at the end of this past fall semester, sent paperwork into the NFL advisory committee for a projection as to which round he would be selected after the regular season. He also consulted with former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson, now a running back with the San Francisco 49ers, but said he would ultimately do what was in his best interest.
"Whatever I do, whatever decision I make, it's going to be for what Justin wants to do," King said before the bowl game. "It's not about what anybody thinks I should do or anybody thinks is great for me."
King was at the top of many draft boards as the top junior corner before this season following solid performances against future NFL first-round picks Ted Ginn, Jr. (Ohio State, now with the Miami Dolphins) and Robert Meachem (Tennessee, now with the New Orleans Saints) as a sophomore.
But his stock dropped somewhat this year following a series of rough outings during the conference season. Indiana wide receiver James Hardy, who will also enter the draft as a junior, caught 14 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns with King on coverage during the Lions' win against the Hoosiers. King played that game, and most others this season, with a right shoulder sprain but said it did not affect his performance.
Nevertheless, draft analysts project King as a mid-round selection. Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLdraftscout.com, believes King will be a second- or third-round pick.
"He's got so much talent," Rang said. "His stock will move up in February [at the NFL scouting combine workouts]. He's going to have to workout well because the expectation for him to do that is there."
Among those from the Big Ten joining King as underclassmen to enter the draft are the aforementioned Hardy and Ikegwuonu, Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall, Michigan wide receiver Adrian Arrington and Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston.
The deadline for underclassmen to notify the NFL of their intent to enter April's draft is tomorrow. Players who do declare have until Jan. 19 to withdraw their name if they choose, said Vince Casey, NFL director of football information.
