Kenny Willekes became teammates with Kirk Cousins on Saturday, when he was drafted by the Vikings with the No. 225 overall pick.
A seventh-round draft choice, Willekes was a standout defensive end at Michigan State, the former school of Kirk Cousins.
Cousins’ and Willekes’ time did not overlap at Michigan State, but the two still have a football history. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Willekes played in a Christian 7-on-7 event, which Cousins sponsored at his house.
Willekes said this about the Vikings starting quarterback:
“He’s definitely a Michigan State legend,” Willekes told the Detroit Free Press. “He kind of set the path to show the way to get from Michigan State to the NFL. And not only that, he’s also from West Michigan. … So having the opportunity to play with him in Minnesota is kind of like a dream come true. He’s someone I looked up looked up to a lot growing up.”
In his final collegiate season with the team, Willekes tallied 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss.