Tag: Kenny Willekes

Where every MSU Football player ranks on The Athletic’s top-300 NFL Draft Board

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his top-300 draft board Tuesday. Here is where every Michigan State player placed.

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Dane Brugler of The Athletic just put out a very thorough top-300 NFL Draft Board, which you can read here. Brugler’s Board features a few different draft-eligible Spartans, which we will list below along with a short passage from Brugler’s story. Of course, you’ll need to fire up a subscription to The Athletic, or use a free trial, to read his full scouting report on each player, and I encourage you to do so.

  • No. 91: Josiah Scott, CB
    • “Overall, Scott’s lack of size, length and strength show up on tape, but so does his foot quickness and compete skills to mirror and match, projecting as a subpackage rookie with potential to be more.”
  • No. 157: Kenny Willekes, DE
    • “Overall, Willekes lacks the anchor and length to be a consistent edge-setter vs. NFL offensive tackles, but his resilient mentality and competitive motor translate to production, which should land him in a defensive line rotation.”
  • No. 162: Joe Bachie, LB
    • “Overall, Bachie is an active, intense competitor with the toughness and awareness required for the pro game, but his athletic limitations might make it tough for him to surpass backup status in the NFL.”
  • No. 220: Raequan Williams, DT
    • “Overall, Williams has a reliable play motor with the lateral quickness, length and strong hands to earn snaps as a one-technique, although his hurried play style and lack of consistency project him as more of a backup.”

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Locked On Spartans Podcast: Antoine Booth commits, NFL Draft chat

What Michigan State Spartan do we most want to end up on the Lions?

Wil and Matt talk about Michigan State’s latest football commit and where the 2021 recruiting class sits with six players. Then they talk about the NFL Draft and play a game of “You only get one” with the Detroit Lions and MSU prospects.

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

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7 mid-round edge defenders who should be on Bills draft radar

Mid-round edge defender prospects for the Buffalo Bills to watch at the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Bills are set along the edge for the 2020 season, if things project out well. Jerry Hughes and the recently signed Mario Addison should be leading the way with Trent Murphy looking at a chance to contribute as well.

However, that starting duo is not young. They’ll contribute in 2020 and perhaps 2021, but they’re both already 30-plus years old while Murphy is entering the final year of his contract. The Bills don’t have many needs, but bringing in a younger option along their defensive front with that trio is of importance.

With that in mind, that doesn’t mean Buffalo has to reach for one at the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. There’s a chance the Bills could land their pass-rushing prospect at defensive end in the middle of the selection process.

Here are seven mid-round edge defender prospects that should be on the Bills draft radar this week:

Florida Gators linebacker Jonathan Greenard. Credit: Matt Stamey-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Greenard | Florida

Jonathan Greenard is certainly on the Bills draft radar since he reportedly met with the team at the recent scouting combine. Pegged anywhere from Day 2 to an early Day 3 pick, Greenard could impact an NFL roster next season. Greenard was a first-team, All-SEC selection last year, notching a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 12 starts. He also had an interception and three forced fumbles, so he has a knack for some game-changing plays. Greenard is also described as a “worker bee” in terms of effort.

A red flag on Greenard is certainly a wrist injury he suffered in 2018. Last season he played with it wrapped and padded all season. Analysis of his game expresses some concerns on getting outside the tackle as well, whether it’s to set the edge against the run or beating tackles on the outside while rushing the passer.

 

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Philadelphia Eagles final 7-round mock draft

Here is our final Philadelphia Eagles 7-round mock draft as we get closer to the 2020 NFL Draft on April 23, 2020.

The Philadelphia Eagles head into the 2020 NFL Draft with some major holes on their roster, mainly at wide receiver and linebacker. After not signing one free agent pass-catcher, Eagles fans would love to see their favorite team select a receiver with the 21st overall pick.

Luckily for Eagles’ fans, the 2020 NFL Draft is almost here, with the first round set to start on Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 7:00 PM EST. This NFL Draft will be very unique because of COVID-19, so teams will be drafting from home, reminiscent of your fantasy football draft with your friends.

In our post-combine 7-round mock draft, the Eagles took former LSU wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, with the 21st overall pick, but in our post-free agency 7-round mock draft, the Eagles traded the No. 21 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.

This is our final 7-round mock draft before the 2020 NFL Draft.

*Note: This is what we would consider doing, not what we think the Eagles will do. Also, all draft pick values are referenced from the 2020 NFL Trade Value Chart (via DraftTek.com).*

Round 1, Pick 30 (From Green Bay): Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

*Trade*

Eagles receive: Pick 30 (620), Pick 94 (124), and Pick 136 (38) (782 total)

Packers receive: Pick 21 (800)

The expectation is that the Eagles will select a wide receiver with the 21st overall pick. If Justin Jefferson is still available at that spot, the Eagles should stay put and take the stud receiver from LSU. However, as we get closer to draft day, it seems more and more likely Jefferson will be gone, along with the other top 3 wide receivers. For that reason, the Eagles should trade down and collect some extra draft picks in a loaded draft class.

The Green Bay Packers know that their window with quarterback Aaron Rodgers is closing, so the Eagles should target them as a team they can trade back with. In this trade back, the Eagles get the Packers 1st round pick, as well as an extra 3rd and 4th rounder.

With the 30th overall pick in the first round, the Eagles take former Oklahoma linebacker, Kenneth Murray. A lot of analysts and pundits do not believe the Eagles will take a linebacker in the first round, which is fair thinking. Philly has not valued linebackers for a very long time. It has been 41 years since they have taken a linebacker the first round, but it is time for the thinking to change.

Murray would be an instant starter for the Eagles and give them the stud linebacker they have needed. Murray is so aggressive on the field and he just flies around and makes plays. He would become an instant fan favorite in Philly and give the Eagles a building block on defense.

It is also worth noting former Eagles scout and lead NFL Draft analyst for NFL Network Daniel Jeremiah had the Eagles taking Murray in his latest mock. So, yes, this may not make you happy, but the Eagles should add Murray to their defense.

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Michigan State Players in the NFL Draft Preview: Kenny Willekes

We take a look at former Michigan State Football player Kenny Willekes’ NFL Draft chances and the buzz surrounding him.

To me, Kenny Willekes is the most interesting Michigan State player in the NFL Draft. Michigan State’s career leader in tackles-for-loss went from being a walk-on to being, in my mind, the best player on the team for the last two years. Now, he will look to overcome skeptics and make his way to an NFL roster via the 2020 NFL Draft. Below you will find a quick round-up of our thoughts on Willekes along with the thoughts of a few draft analysts.

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The SpartansWire Take:

In my opinion, I think many of the criticism of Kenny Willekes are overstated. For some reason, he has gotten tagged with narrative that he lacks athleticism. I personally don’t understand where that comes from, I’ve never seen it show up on game footage, but nonetheless, that is what Willekes is facing heading into next week’s NFL Draft. He went into this draft putting out an awesome highlight video of himself doing multiple athletic feats to quell these concerns, and one NFL GM was impressed by the showcase.

We might be biased, but to me, Willekes should be a second or third-round draft pick, however, I am anticipating that he will be drafted in the fourth round.

What analysts are saying:

DraftWire Big Board Draft Position: 4th round, No. 154

While DraftWire had Willekes as their top Michigan State player in the draft based on their Big Board, NFL Network Analyst Daniel Jeremiah had Willekes as the No. 3 ranked Spartan in the draft behind Josiah Scott and Joe Bachie.

Combine Results:

Height: 6-3

Weight: 264

Arms: 31 1/4″

Hands: 9 1/2″

40-yard dash: 4.87 seconds

Bench press: 32 reps (3rd among DL)

Vertical jump: 32.5 inches (9th among DL)

Broad jump: 119.0 inches (9th among DL)

3-Cone drill: 7.39 seconds (10th among DL)

Career Stats:

40 games played, 228 tackles, 49 tackles for loss (school record), 23.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown, 1 interception.

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NFL Draft: An edge-rusher for the Eagles in each round

An edge-rusher for the Philadelphia Eagles to consider in each round

The Philadelphia Eagles have several pressing needs on the offensive side of the ball, but the Eagles could choose to add another pass rusher to the roster via the draft.

There are several big-named edge-rushers set to enter the NFL and with the Eagles looking to become a quicker, more versatile team, Howie Roseman could choose to add more depth to a pass-rushing unit that already looks formidable in Philadelphia.

We’ve provided an edge-rusher for the Eagles to consider in each round.

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Oct 12, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (18) tackles Florida Gators running back Lamical Perine (2) during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

1. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU

The Eagles can get younger along the defensive line and the LSU star wouldn’t be a bad player to start with. Chaisson is a Danielle Hunter clone and is versatile enough to play on the edge or in space.

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NFL Network analyst ranks MSU Football’s NFL Draft prospects

Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network took the time to rank the top MSU Football NFL Draft prospects for 2020.

Leading into the NFL Draft, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah has been hosting calls with media members to give his thoughts on the 2020 draft class. On a call with media members on Thursday, Jeremiah gave his thoughts on the various Michigan State football players who will be involved in the draft this year and, interestingly, took the time to rank them by their draft potential.

He ranked them like this:

  • CB Josiah Scott
  • LB Joe Bachie
  • DE Kenny Willekes
  • QB Brian Lewerke
  • DT Raequan Williams

Some interesting takeaways here:

  • I would not have expected Lewerke to be above Raequan Williams, who I think has a solid chance at a future NFL career, but I think this goes to show that Lewerke does have some solid NFL skills that might have gone under the radar given a pretty anemic offense the last two years at Michigan State that wasn’t entirely his fault.
  • Willekes being below Bachie also surprised me. Bachie is a tremendous player but Willekes is probably underrated by many draft analysts. I personally think he has a ton of upside, and at least one NFL GM was impressed by his virtual pro day.
  • Jeremiah said he considers Scott to be a day-one starter at the nickel corner position. Not surprising but awesome to hear from an analyst. Scott will be one of the last defensive backs in the NFL to come from the Dantonio system and the defensive backs were certainly a point of pride for his administration.
  • Jeremiah didn’t comment on a few players including Darrell Stewart, Cody White, and Matt Seybert.

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Philadelphia Eagles have pre-draft meeting with Michigan State DL Kenny Willekes

Philadelphia Eagles have a pre-draft meeting with Michigan State DL Kenny Willekes

The Philadelphia Eagles love a good edge-rusher and the Birds could have their eye on a rugged former Michigan State Spartan.

According To The Draft Wire, the Eagles held a virtual predraft meeting with former Spartans defensive end Kenny Willekes.

Willekes recently went viral for his virtual predraft workout, where he worked to dispel myths about his athleticism.

Willekes worked his way up from a 2015 walk-on to becoming a full-time starter during the 2017 season.

In 2018, Willekes was named the Big Ten Conference Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year after recording 78 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

During his final season in East Lansing, Willekes posted 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss and could be a solid mid-round pick for the Eagles.

2020 NFL draft: Panthers FaceTime with 2 EDGE prospects

The team is doing their homework on EDGE prospects.

The Panthers have lost a lot of depth at several defensive positions this offseason. Last season, Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin were starting on the edges of the defensive line. Both have since left in free agency, signing with the Bills and the Seahawks, respectively.

Heading into the 2020 NFL draft, Carolina will need to reload at this position and find another starter to pair opposite Brian Burns. The team is doing their homework on EDGE prospects.

According to Justin Melo at Draft Wire, the team recently held a FaceTime meeting with Florida outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, who has also spoken with the Giants, Jets, Titans and Falcons.

Greenard (6-foot-4, 263 pounds) spent the first three years of his college career at Louisville, then transferred to Florida for 2019. He had a breakout season for the Gators, totaling 10 sacks, 16 tackles for a loss, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles.

Greenard is nowhere near as explosive as Burns, but he has grit and a good frame for his position. He is projected to be an early Day 3 pick.

According to Melo, the Panthers also held a Facetime meeting with Michigan State EDGE prospect Kenny Willekes. He’s also gotten interest from the Eagles, Browns and Ravens.

Willekes (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) posted very similar numbers to Greenard’s last year with 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss, but he has more experience and has been producing since his sophomore season.

For what it’s worth, we like the fit and picked Willekes for Carolina in the fourth round (No. 113 overall) of our most recent 2020 mock draft.

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NFL GM impressed by Michigan State Football DE Kenny Willekes virtual Pro Day

Kenny Willekes’ virtual Pro Day stood out to at least one NFL GM, who told Ian Rapoport that it was the “most effective” one he saw.

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With the current pandemic canceling Pro Days around the country, we have seen a massive influx of NFL Draft hopefuls taking to social media to host their own virtual Pro Days or post highlight tapes in an effort to showcase their skills. Back in late March, Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes put out his own highlight reel, featuring him doing a series of impressive athletic demonstrations. At least one NFL GM was impressed by Willekes’ showing, telling Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that his version of the virtual Pro Day was “the most effective.”

Here is Rapoport’s tweet:

To me, what makes this such an effective video isn’t just that the display itself was impressive (which it was), but the video was made in a very deliberate, effective manner. While Willekes was highly regarded as a college football defender, he hasn’t received the same respect in the draft process, with most critics citing a lack of athleticism.

Well, Willekes certainly silenced a few doubters with this video. For someone who also broke their leg the season prior, this is an impressive workout.

Watch it below:

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