During the predraft process, NFL teams are always looking for tough prospects who never take a play off, and play with a nonstop motor from snap to whistle.
If your favorite team is looking for a pass rusher who brings that kind of mentality to the table, their search should focus on Michigan State’s Kenny Willekes.
A physical edge defender with an incredible work ethic, Willekes recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the Senior Bowl, which offensive tackles impressed him the most in college, and what he’s looking forward to about the NFL Scouting Combine.
JM: What was your experience like at the Senior Bowl?
KW: That was a great experience. I had the opportunity to work with the Detroit Lions coaching staff. I got to be around a bunch of excellent players. There were so many great players out there. My position group was especially fun to work with and be around. I played against a lot of those guys in college and it was great to learn from one other. It was such a great experience. I got to meet so many cool people.
JM: Do you feel like you achieved what you set out to accomplish out there?
KW: I’m a perfectionist, so there’s always going to be things I can improve on. For the most part, I felt like I did a pretty good job out there. I feel like I did exactly what I went out there to do. I wanted to show that I could play out of a two-point stance which I did throughout the week of practice. I also wanted to show that I could win with a variety of pass rushing moves and I believe that I proved that as well.
JM: Speaking of, how would you describe your pass rush arsenal?
KW: I would say that I have a lot of tools on my tool belt. I have a lot of moves that I can consider my go-to at any given moment. I like to keep things simple. I love setting everything up with my speed-to-power move. I implement the bull rush into my plan quite a bit as well. Once I start bull rushing, I’m able to counter back inside or peel around the edge with a double sweep. Those are probably my main moves. I can swim inside or win with a double sweep around the edge. I love that speed-to-power move. If I need to counter, my swim inside usually pays off. I could use a spin move to counter as well.
JM: Playing at Michigan State afforded you the opportunity to play against some of the best competition college football has to offer. Who are some offensive tackles that stood out to you?
KW: Rashawn Slater from Northwestern immediately comes to mind. He wears No. 70 for them. He’s somebody that always gave me a good battle year in year out. He’s an excellent player. Penei Sewell from Oregon was a great match-up in our bowl game. He was just a freshmen then but he had all the athletic tools. I knew he was going to be a great player. I also thought that No. 75 on Ohio State, Thayler Munford, improved a lot from last year to this year. I noticed a significant difference with him.
JM: How much of being a successful pass rusher is accomplished pre-snap?
KW: I’d say a lot of it is accomplished post-snap to be honest. I think the get-off is the most important thing when it comes to rushing the passer. Knowing or recognizing a pre-snap indicator that it’s gonna be a pass and being able to jump that snap count plays a large role but how you react after the snap is the biggest thing. At times, pass rushing is simply reacting to how they set on you. You gotta get off the ball with a plan but you also have to react to how they set on you.
JM: Is there a scheme that fits you best at the next level?
KW: I think playing in a 4-3 makes the most sense for me. As I said earlier, I went down there to the Senior Bowl to prove that I could play out of a two-point stance, but I prefer to play in a 4-3 with my hand in the dirt.
JM: You’ve played for so many great coaches throughout your time at Michigan State. What’s the biggest lesson any coach ever taught you?
KW: That’s a tough question. I learned a lot throughout my time at Michigan State. Defensive ends coach [Chuck] Bullough is always preaching hard work. I really appreciate him for that. It never mattered to him how far you’ve come or what you have or haven’t done. Whether you had a good day or bad day, maybe you’re feeling sore or whatever, he preached that we continue to come in every day and really apply ourselves. We worked harder because of him. It was all about doing the little things to make sure you’re as well prepared as can be on a weekly basis.
JM: Is there one NFL quarterback that you’d love to sack?
KW: I would probably say Lamar Jackson. He’s always breaking people’s ankles out there. You see how elusive he is and how difficult he is to bring down. Being able to bring him down would be pretty cool. He was the MVP for a reason.
JM: The NFL Scouting Combine will be here before we know it. Are you looking forward to any drills in particular? Any goals you care to share with us?
KW: A lot of my goals are still personal and they’re constantly changing as I continue to train and improve. I just wanna show that I’m athletic enough to play in the NFL. I know that there are some big question marks surrounding my athleticism. I’ve proven that I can produce at a high level so now I wanna go out there and show that I am an athletic player. Hopefully I’ll put those questions to bed throughout some of the drills.
[vertical-gallery id=612871]