Chicago Bears 2017 mock draft: Seven round mock

Desmond King, Cornerback, Iowa (5-foot-11, 206 pounds)

King is one of the best athletes in this draft class. He is listed as a cornerback, but he may eventually play safety. He almost went pro last year, when he had 8 interceptions and was named the Jim Thorpe Award winner and a unanimous Consensus All-American. In his senior season, he “only’ had three interceptions, though he was named to the All Big Ten First Team for the second straight season.

King is a physical, athletic defender with a high motor. He has light feet and fluid hips; he is able to change direction with ease. As his 11 interceptions in the past two seasons can attest, he is a ball hawk.

King has the experience teams look for. He was a four-year starter at Iowa, playing in 94 percent of the defensive snaps. He also played on 46 percent of the special teams snaps, playing both punt and kick returner.

I watched the Senior Bowl practices last week and King impressed me. He covered everyone well and got a few picks. The more I saw him, the more I felt he’d be good in a Chicago Bears uniform.

The knock on King is his size. He is listed as 5-foot-11, but some think he is shorter. If he is, his stock will drop. It is amazing that an inch or so may negatively affect a player’s standing. With his size, he may be a slot cornerback, but with his abilities he could thrive there.

Many scouts also say that eventually they see King as a safety. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio loves moving his players around, so King would be perfect in his system.