Abdul Carter could wind up as the NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick in April. Safety Jaylen Reed was one of Penn State’s most versatile players. But there’s an argument to be made that nobody was more valuable in 2024 than King. There was a steep dropoff at linebacker without him on the field.

Penn State football will have a new starting linebacker next season as Kobe King declares for the 2025 NFL Draft. King, a 6-foot-1, 248-pound redshirt junior, was second on the team with 97 total tackles and led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss.

Penn State linebacker Kobe King, who finished second in tackles for the Nittany Lions defense, will forgo his final season of eligibility for the NFL Draft.

Penn State will have a complete reset in the wide receiver room, and will also need to replace its top linebacker.

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.