Breaking: Penn State linebacker Kobe King declares for 2025 NFL draft

Coming off a strong season in the middle of the Penn State defense, linebacker Kobe King has decided he is ready

to make the jump to the NFL. King announced on social media on Tuesday evening he has declared for the 2025

NFL draft and will leave Penn State with eligibility remaining.

“[After] looking back at everything I’ve cultivated here and reflecting on the lengthy conversations and prayers

about the next step, I have decided to forego my final year of eligibility to declare for the 2025 NFL draft,” King

said in a statement posted on his Instagram account. “I will forever bleed blue and white.”

King was Penn State’s second-leading tackler in the 2024 season with 97 total tackles and 53 solo tackles. King

had 8.5 TFL and 3 sacks as he continued to blossom as a linebacker in Penn State’s defense this season. King was

one of the players who took a big step forward each of the past two seasons, but it was questionable if he would

play another season with the Nittany Lions given the success of the 2024 season.

King earned the respect of his teammates along the way in his college tenure and was a team captain. The

departure of King leaves some room for another player to step up and be a leader of the defense next season.

Dominic DeLuca is expected to be moving on after participating in Penn State’s senior day festivities at the end of

the 2024 season, but Tony Rojas is the rising star at linebacker who will be a likely candidate to take on a bigger

role as a team leader at a key position.