Norfolk State RB Kevon King Selected for 2026 NFL HBCU Showcase

Norfolk State running back Kevon King has been selected to participate in the 2026 NFL HBCU Showcase. The invitation puts King one step closer to ending a 17-year NFL Draft drought for the Spartans program, with his on-field workout in front of every team in the league scheduled for Monday.

The event, held in partnership with the Black College Football Hall of Fame and NFL International, will take place March 28-30 in Ashburn, Va., with the on-field workouts scheduled for Monday, March 30 at the Washington Commanders' practice facility, the BigBear.ai Performance Center at Commanders Park. In all, 47 HBCU players were selected for the showcase, with all NFL clubs expected to attend in full.

In 12 games during the 2025 season, King rushed for 734 net yards on 91 carries, averaging 8.1 yards per attempt and 61.2 yards per game, totaling four rushing touchdowns and a long run of 79 yards. Among the MEAC leaders, King ranked fourth in both rushing yards per game and total rushing yards, while placing third in yards per carry. Over 42 career games, the scouting report published by FCS Football Central NFL Draft analyst Gerald J. Huggins II credits King with 2,368 rushing yards, 390 carries, and 20 rushing touchdowns, adding 141 receiving yards and two receiving scores.

A densely built downhill runner who showcases power, burst, and quality finishing ability, King hits running lanes with a sharp, early burst well-suited to gap and inside zone plays, though his top-end speed is average for the position and he can be overly urgent, sometimes not allowing his blocks to set up. Huggins projects King as a fringe NFL roster prospect with rotational value and short-yardage specialist capabilities, drawing a stylistic comparison to Devontae Booker and identifying an inside-zone or gap-heavy running scheme as his best fit at the next level.

King's accolades underscore his standing as one of the top HBCU backs in the country. He earned Second-Team All-MEAC honors in both 2024 and 2025, appeared on the 2025 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list, was named to the HBCU FCS National Player of the Year Watchlist in 2025, and received Preseason BOXTOROW HBCU All-American recognition that same year. The Walter Payton Award, often called the Heisman of FCS, is named after legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State, with past winners including Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Cooper Kupp.

The historical stakes surrounding King's draft bid are significant. King is aiming to become the first Norfolk State player to be selected in the NFL Draft since Don Carey in 2009. The last Norfolk State running back drafted was George Parker, selected in 1983. A 43-year gap between drafted Norfolk State running backs frames exactly what Monday's workout at Commanders Park means for the program.

The combined event is scheduled less than one month before the 2026 NFL Draft and serves as one of the final pre-draft evaluation opportunities for players outside the NFL Combine and traditional pro day circuit. For King, the BigBear.ai Performance Center is the most important field he will step onto before draft weekend arrives.