79 Days Until Vikings Football: Kenny Willekes Could Be a Seventh-Round Steal
As we count down the days until the Vikings' opener against the Packers on September 13th, InsideTheVikings will be previewing every single player on the roster. The amount of days remaining corresponds with the jersey number of the player being examined on that day. Today is June 26th, and there are 79 days until kickoff for the 2020 regular season. That means its time to take a look at a seventh-round pick who could become the latest Rick Spielman discovery in that round.
Countdown to Vikings-Packers on September 13th: 79 Days
Player Preview: Kenny Willekes (No. 79, Defensive End)
- College: Michigan State
- Drafted: 2020 seventh round (225th overall)
- NFL experience: N/A
- Age: 22 (Turns 23 on July 22nd)
- Size: 6'3", 264
- 2019 PFF Grade: N/A
- Notable 2019 stats (NCAA): 10.0 sacks, 5.5 non-sack TFL, 78 tackles, 1 FF
- Notable career stats (NCAA): 23.5 sacks, 25.5 non-sack TFL, 228 tackles, 7 passes defended, 2 FF, 1 INT, 4 FR
Here are a few of the players Rick Spielman and the Vikings have selected in the seventh round of the draft in recent years: Shamar Stephen, Stephen Weatherly, Jayron Kearse, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Kris Boyd, and Bisi Johnson. Notice that five of those six names are defensive players, and three of them are defensive linemen. That alone should be enough to provide some optimism when it comes to the outlook for Kenny Willekes, who was one of four seventh-round picks made by the Vikings in this year's draft.
Take a long look at Willekes as a prospect and that optimism should only grow. Although he's lacking ideal length for the defensive end position, the former Michigan State star was an elite college player who has the athleticism, strength, and work ethic to develop into an NFL-caliber edge rusher over time.
Willekes had to have an elite work ethic to get to this point. Coming out of high school in Grand Rapids, MI, he had zero D-I scholarship offers, with his main interest coming from area D-II schools like Wayne State and Grand Valley State. Willekes was thinking bigger, so he headed to MSU and walked on to Mark Dantonio's team. He redshirted in his first year and appeared in one game as a redshirt freshman.
In 2017, Willekes broke through. He became a full-time starter for the Spartans, and recorded 72 tackles, including 5.5 sacks and 8.5 non-sack tackles for loss. He was named third team All-Big Ten for his efforts. Willekes then took his game to another level in 2018, putting up 20.5 tackles for loss with eight sacks and four pass breakups. He was named first team All-Big Ten and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference in TFLs. As a redshirt senior, he set a career-high with ten sacks and was once again named first team all-conference. Willekes also won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the best former walk-on in college football.
The primary knocks on Willekes as a NFL prospect are his lack of length and elite athleticism, with play strength and technique also coming up as concerns in scouting reports. His 31.25-inch arms rank in the 3rd percentile for defensive linemen, and his 9.5-inch hands are in the 22nd percentile. Willekes has room to grow from a technical standpoint; adding more variety in his pass-rushing moves and counter-moves would do a lot for his upside.
Willekes posted solid testing numbers at the combine with a 4.87 40, a 119-inch broad jump, and 32 bench press reps. The latter two are in the 84th percentile or above for defensive linemen. He's a strong run defender who has enough burst to get around the edge and apply pressure. The No. 1 reason to bet on Willekes carving out a role in the NFL, though? His effort. He has a motor that simply never quits, and it's a guarantee that he'll come in and put in endless work in the weight room and on the practice field to improve.
Projected by many as a fourth or fifth-round pick, Willekes slipped to the seventh round, likely due to the concerns about length and athleticism. He could be a steal for the Vikings at that spot. Willekes may not have the upside of someone like D.J. Wonnum, who the Vikings took in the fourth round, but he has a high floor because of his work ethic and all-around game. Oh, and don't tell Willekes he's not athletic...
In 2020, Willekes will be fighting with players like Anthony Zettel, Wonnum, Eddie Yarbrough, and Stacy Keely for a roster spot at defensive end. Out of those five players, three will likely make the 53-man roster. I think Willekes makes the team or at worst, sticks around the practice squad. He may not contribute much as a rookie, but just like he did at Michigan State, he'll work hard every day until his name is called.
Other DE player previews:
You can find every single player preview to date – plus other offseason content – in this handy spreadsheet.
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