King came to Penn State in 2021 as one of the highest-rated cornerback prospects in his class. He spent most of his freshman season behind Joey Porter Jr. and Tariq Castro-Fields on the depth chart, although he did record 21 tackles and five passes defended in nine games. In 2022, he was outstanding in his first season as a starter, with three interceptions, 18 passes defended, and 30 tackles. He entered 2023 as a potential first-round pick for the 2024 draft but lost momentum his junior season, with only two pass breakups and no interceptions in 2023.
King earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022 and second-team honors in 2023.