Jeff King Jeffery " Jeff " W . King ( born February 19 , 1983 in Pulaski , Virginia ) is an American football tight end in the National Football League with the Carolina Panthers . He played college football and basketball for Virginia Tech . High school . Football . A PrepStar All - American for Coach Joel Hicks at Pulaski County High School , King rated the # 3 tight end in the Atlantic Region . He was named first - team Group AAA all - state as a tight end by the Associated Press and the state coaches . He was ranked the # 12 prospect in Virginia by " The Roanoke Times " and SuperPrep . He was an honorable - mention All - South pick by the " Orlando Sentinel " . He led his high school team to the Group AAA , Division 5 state semifinals in 2000 . He finished his senior season with 278 yards receiving and eight touchdowns . He also registered eight sacks as a defensive end . He set a school record with 101 pancake blocks in a season . He had 12 pancakes and two receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown in a game his senior year . Named All - Timesland as a junior and senior . Basketball . Jeff King was also an outstanding basketball player who compiled over 1 , 000 points and 1 , 000 rebounds during his career . He averaged 25 points and 14 rebounds as a senior on the way to all - district and all - region honors . He also competed in the shot put for the track team with a best effort of 54 ' 7 " as a junior . He was also a member of the National Honor Society . College career . Freshman ( 2001 ) . King redshirted his freshman in year 2001 . Freshman ( 2002 ) . In 2002 King played in all 14 games for Virginia Tech making only one reception , a 19 - yard touchdown against Arkansas State . He also blocked a field goal against Western Michigan . Sophomore ( 2003 ) . In 2003 King played in 13 games with two starts . He maded 6 receptions for 109 yards and one touchdown He also blocked a field goal against Rutgers . Junior ( 2004 ) . In 2004 King became a starter . He started all 13 games , posting 25 receptions for 304 yards and four touchdowns . He was also a Second - team All - ACC choice . Senior ( 2005 ) . In 2005 he started all 13 games . He recorded a career - high 26 catches for 292 yards and six touchdowns , a school single - season record for tight ends , and became the first player in school history to catch a touchdown pass in four consecutive games . He also blocked a field goal against Georgia Tech that the Hokies returned for a touchdown . He was also a Second - team All - ACC selection . College stats . In his college career King set a school record for touchdown catches by a tight end with 11 , bettering the previous mark of eight . He also blocked three kicks on special teams . Professional career . 2006 . King was selected in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft . He played in 12 games in his rookie season , and scored a touchdown on his only reception of the season in a game against the Atlanta Falcons . 2007 . In 2007 his first year as a starter King recorded 46 receptions for 406 yards and two touchdowns . King made his then career long reception during the Panthers week three win over the Atlanta Falcons , with a 29 yard catch . He also had a single - game career high in receptions with 10 during a week eight loss to the Indianapolis Colts . 2008 . With the return of Muhsin Muhammad to the Carolina Panthers , King changed numbers from # 87 to # 47 . King recorded 21 receptions for 195 yards and had one touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions . King also improved his career long catch , with at 31 yard reception against the Arizona Cardinals . While King ' s stats declined his blocking skills were much improved . Personal life . King graduated with a degree in finance and is enrolled in health and physical education in graduate school .