Former Belleville East, Missouri Baptist wide receiver chasing his NFL dream
Isaiah King didn’t have many athletic scholarship offers when he graduated from Belleville East High School four years ago..
A rare three-sport athlete, King was a solid hitter and provided good defense in the outfield as a member of the Lancers baseball program and was a major contributor and a leader of the East basketball team which featured future NCAA Division I players Javon Pickett and Malachi Smith in its starting lineup.
But the football field is where King enjoyed his most success.
“Actually, baseball was my first love,” King said this week. “But football came so natural.”
Blessed with that natural ability, speed and the ability to catch the football, King turned a sensational senior season into an equally impressive four year college career at NAIA Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis where he finished with over 3,100 receiving yards.
Now King, 21, hopes to take the next step and play in the NFL. Following an impressive effort at a combine earlier this spring held before several NFL scouts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the 6-1, 176-pound King will showcase his talents for scouts at an NFL combine at Missouri Baptist on June 7.
Following his impressive effort at SIUC, King was invited to an NFL combine in Atlanta on June 28. Scouts from all 32 NFL teams will attend the event in Atlanta.
“The dream is to play in the NFL. It’s been the dream for a long time,” King said. “I thought I did pretty well at the combine in Carbondale. I could have done better, but it was cold and raining.
“But the comments I received from the scouts were very positive. They told me they liked my head and they thought my footwork was excellent. They just advised me to keep working hard and that they were looking forward to seeing me again on my pro day.”
Working hard has never been an issue for King, who was one of the top three-sport athletes in the Southwestern Conference while starring at Belleville East.
A breakout senior year
King hit .284 as a member of the Lancers baseball team in his senior year and averaged five points while adding good defense and leadership to a young East basketball team during the 2015-16 season.
But it was on the football field where King came into his own.
After collecting 34 receptions for 450 yards as a junior, King teamed with quarterback Drew Millas to form one of the top passing combinations in the St. Louis area. King finished the ‘15 season with 53 receptions for 850 yards. Millas, currently in the Oakland Athletics farm system, had 23 touchdown passes that season, 17 of which were caught by King.
Former East coach Kris Stephens recalled the tremendous amount of work King put in to become an elite player.
“I had Isaiah his senior year. He and Drew Millas were an incredible pair for us,” Stephens said. “Isaiah was a great kid. He really put in a ton of work in the offseason leading into his senior year and made himself into a weapon.
“I’m not very good at remembering plays, but I remember him making a ton of incredible catches for us that year. We are very proud of him and hope for the best.”
King then decided to attend Missouri Baptist where he would become one of the Spartans all time greats. But he credits the Belleville East staff for helping him get there.
“I really worked hard at Belleville East and that hard work paid off because it helped give me the opportunity to play college football. The coaching staff was great at East and the receiving coaches worked with me and were just tremendous,” King said. “I chose Missouri Baptist because it was close, it was program that was starting up and it was a chance to get on the field (early).
“We just decided to go with it. It was a great decision because I got a chance to play and improve my skills while getting an education. I enjoyed my four years there. It’s a good school with great people.”
A brilliant college career
King was one of the top wide receivers early and throughout his four years of competition in the Mid-States Football Association.
An honorable mention all-MSFA selection as a freshman when he had 38 receptions for 958 yards and 11 touchdowns, King moved up to second team honors as a junior, finishing with 39 catches for 655 yards and seven scores.
Saving the best for last, King earned NAIA honorable mention all-American honors this past season for a Spartans team which finished 2-9. Highlighted by a 241-yard receiving, three touchdown performance against St. Xavier, Illinois, King finished his senior year with 51 catches for 1,011 yards and nine scores.
King ended his collegiate career with 166 receptions, 3,199 receiving yards, and 31 touchdowns. He culminated his outstanding career at Missouri Baptist by playing in the NAIA Senior Football Classic in December.
The next step
While NAIA players don’t get the national exposure as the NCAA Division I stars who compete in major conferences, several small school stars have gone on to long and productive NFL careers.
Among those players are Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Blount who played at Southern (Louisiana) University when it was an NAIA school. Former Dallas linebacker Thomas Henderson starred at Langston (Oklahoma) University and former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp attended Occidental (California) University.
King hopes to be the next.
“NAIA football is very strong and I feel it’s helped me prepare for the next level,” King said. “The MSFA is annually one of the best football conferences in the nation.
“I know I just have to keep working and getting stronger. I’ve been working out at Kings Point in Belleville and just living in the weight room.”
Timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40 yard dash, speed isn’t an issue for King. Those who know him best have little doubt the former Lancers great won’t stop until he reaches his goal.
“Isaiah is a good kid and a good player,” Missouri Baptist coach Jason Burianek said. “He was set to attend a few regional combines but they have been postponed due to COVID-19. I don’t know if he is ready for the NFL but would have been a good fit for the XFL and could get a shot in Canada or overseas.
“We will see. It would be great for our program to have him get picked up, but the competition is very tough.”
King has no problem with perhaps starting his professional career in the Canadian Football League.
“CFL, overseas, if that is what it takes to get noticed and start my professional career .... I’m ready,” King said. “The ultimate goal is to play in the NFL.”
