Once considered a first-round talent, cornerback Kalen King fell to the seventh round in 2024 before the Green Bay Packers scooped him up. After spending most of his rookie season on the practice squad, King has a chance to make headway and have a tangible impact on Jeff Hafley’s defense in 2025.

The year before the Packers selected King, they took another cornerback in the final round: Kentucky’s Carrington Valentine. The Packers called Valentine’s number after a slew of injuries, primarily to Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, hit home in 2023. And he delivered.

Green Bay doesn’t care what round a player is selected, or whether they were even drafted at all. If a player’s talent is present and his head is screwed on straight, the Packers will award an opportunity to the most deserving candidate. Valentine pounced on his opportunity and has become a strong depth player in the secondary.

It could be King’s turn this year. After a stellar 2022 season at Penn State, King took a step backward in 2023 and followed it up with not-so-great showings at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. Some scouts mentioned that King looked unprepared.

As a rookie, King was able to gather his thoughts and develop. That semi-redshirt season in 2024 could pay wonders moving forward.

Green Bay’s defensive passing-game coordinator, Derrick Ansley, has already raved about what he’s seen from King this offseason.

I don’t want to speak to soon — knock on wood — but he’s looking really, really good out there. He’s playing inside and out. (It’s) kind of like the light has gone off for him and he looks more springy in his step.

If the lightbulb above King’s head has started even to flicker, watch out.

The situation is complex. If Alexander is back in the fold in 2025, Green Bay will have a crowded cornerback room. Alexander would hold down the top spot on the depth chart while Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs battle it out for the second outside spot and the slot. Valentine would be next in the pecking order.

It sounds a little crowded to wedge King into the frame. However, the Packers lost Stokes and Corey Ballentine in the offseason, and history suggests that it’s doubtful Alexander will last a full 17-game season. Like Valentine in 2023, an opportunity could arise this year if King can keep grinding.

Ansley is seeing a completely different cornerback in the offseason programs.

He’s changed his body. His mind is at ease, and he’s just jumped into this thing full speed ahead. He’s been very impressive, and we’ve just got to continue to get that kind of day-to-day performance out of him.

King could have let the reality check of going from a projected first-rounder to being selected in the seventh round derail him. Instead, he checked his ego at the door, which is easier said than done. He’s said all the right things so far this offseason, including the following:

While I was on the practice squad, I was just doing everything I could to make sure I don’t go through another season like that again. So that’s really my main priority right now. Being on the practice squad allowed me to play on the scout team and get reps against the No. 1 guys, the No. 1 offense. I feel like that only made me better. I got to line up across from NFL starters for a season straight.

King has the talent, and he’s regaining his confidence. There won’t be pressure on him to play a significant role on Halfley’s defense, which can help him clear his mind and play a looser style of football when his number is called.

Of course, he has to make the 53-man roster first. That won’t be a given with three spots locked up, four if Alexander returns. And don’t forget that Green Bay used another seventh-round pick in this April’s draft on Tulane cornerback Micah Robinson.

If King clears that first hurdle, he must take the same approach as Valentine.

Keep chipping away until you get your shot.

Green Bay clearly sees something in King, as evidenced by Ansley’s rave reviews. And his pre-draft history suggests that King definitely has the talent to back it up. Keep him in mind as a player who could have a sneaky-big impact on this defense.