DE, Mitch King, Iowa

Pros:  Short, squatty defender with a low center of gravity, making it tough to move him off the line of scrimmage. ... Good strength, especially in his lower body, to anchor.

Cons:  Bit of a "tweener." ... Lacks the height, flexibility and speed off the edge teams prefer outside at defensive end and the bulk inside for defensive tackle.

Styg's Broncos Fit:  This may be Denver's last chance to nab a true starting DE prospect in the 2009 draft, and for my money, King could merit going sooner than the 3rd round.  His consistent technique puts him up with the head of the class, and his passion for the game and football intelligence are obvious, stellar qualities.  He was a consistent producer, getting much of his production on his own, though because he is considered shorter than average (6'2") this production is often labeled "overachieving."  What stands out in his technique is how he never gets stood up by blockers, and indeed can frustrate double-teamers who fail to back him up.  He is a master at getting leverage and keeping blockers' hands out of his body.  Doesn't have the kind of speed that most teams want from their ends, but he does have a good first step.  If Denver has the patience to wait and the intuition not to wait too long, King could be one of the best players at 3-4 DE to come out of this draft, and Denver could get him.

Around MHR:

From "Mock Draft 2.0":

Hard worker / blue collar DE from Iowa.  At the very least he will come in an compete / work 100% 100% of the time.  Good lockerroom guy and could develop into a stud in our front 7.  At worst, he gives good depth, character and a tireless motor / work ethic.

Around SBNation:

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• "He has such quickness," said Rob Rang, an analyst for NFLDraftScout.com and CBSSports.com who has watched King this week in workouts with the North team. "He has quick hands, quick feet, and a good instinct for how to play the position. That's what he showed in college, and that's what he's shown here."
  
  King, at 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, is considered a bit undersized to play defensive tackle in the NFL, but Rang said he makes up for that with his quickness.
  
  "I think his best fit is with a team that plays a 'Tampa 2' style defense, like the Indianapolis Colts, where they like to have quick defensive tackles," Rang said. "He's a very good three-technique defensive tackle, and he's shown that throughout his career."  [see more...]
• Was a four-year starter in the Big Ten...Began his career with the Hawkeyes as a linebacker, just like Aaron Kampman, Jonathan Babineaux and Matt Roth before him...Played defensive tackle in college but could also project to defensive end or possibly even linebacker at the next level...Named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior and also earned numerous All-American honors...A great college football player who does all the little things but it's hard to say where he will fit in at the next level...Could surprise with a team that's willing to sacrifice size for  speed and athleticism inside at tackle.  [see more....]
• An explosive, interior rusher with a good burst off the ball; knows how to time a snap count well. Is always the first D-lineman moving off the ball and gets into offensive linemen quickly. A technician inside who uses his hands well to disengage and plays with good leverage. A natural leader who plays with great passion and motor inside. Works very hard in pursuit and has great range down the line. A coach’s dream who will work hard day in and day out.  [see more...]
•  DE/DT Mitch King from Iowa was amazing off the snap in not only one-on-one drills but in the scrimmage portion too. He is so good with his hands that he blew away almost every guard who tried to block him. The problem for King is the he is a man caught in between DT and DE. He is much shorter than teams would like at DE and not heavy enough to be a starting DT right now. However, his pass rushing simply can't be ignored.   [see more...]