Tag: Kenny Willekes

“I’m no stranger to adversity, I’m no stranger to hard work,” Willekes said shortly after being drafted. “I said this many times in the process, it doesn’t matter to me where I get picked, whatever team picks me, whatever team takes a chance on me, I’m going to show up, I’m going to be all in and I’m going to be ready to work.”

Source: MLive.com

Kenny Willekes was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round (No. 225 overall) of the 2020 National Football League Draft on Saturday, April 25.A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, Willekes finished his Spartan career ranked No. 1 in school history with 51 tackles for loss and third with 26 sacks

Source: Michigan State University Athletics

Kenny Willekes could not have landed in a more fitting place. A huge fan of the TV show “Vikings” who once cut his hair to resemble one. A west Michigan football product who went to Kirk Cousins’ house well before joining him as a Michigan State legend. They will now be teammates in Minnesota.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Kenny Willekes never felt like he needed to leave home to get the training he needed. Little did he know when he left Michigan State football to prepare for the NFL draft just what that meant. Part of it was to work out in Grand Rapids at PowerStrength Training, which helped build Willekes from an unknown high school player to MSU walk-on to a two-time All-American defensive end. But part of it also was to spend time with his close-knit family before taking his next step into professional football. Everything changed in March.

Source: Detroit Free Press

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic and uncertain for me, as they are for many right now. The NFL combine went well and it was a great experience. I definitely feel like I helped myself. Still, I was looking forward to working out again at my pro day. Based off some of my training I know I’m capable of running some better times than I did at the combine so I wanted another chance at pro day to showcase that.

Source: Detroit Free Press

This is the second installment of an occasional series of draft diaries from Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes. Willekes had 49 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks — including 10 in the 2019 season — over four seasons at Michigan State.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Kenny Willekes was engaging and funny, sharing stories from his childhood playing on 10 acres in west Michigan with his seven siblings and the many times he required stitches. Oh, and the fact he can do the splits thanks to all those gymnastics classes he took when he was younger.

Source: Detroit News

This is the first installment of an occasional series of draft diaries from Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes. Willekes had 49 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks — including 10 in the 2019 season — over four seasons at Michigan State. He’ll chronicle his experiences leading up to April’s draft for the Free Press.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Growing up, Kenny Willekes and his seven other siblings were competitive in everything they did. “It didn’t really matter what it was. We did all types of things: snowboarding, gymnastics, who could climb the highest tree, who could jump their bike the farthest, who could do the most backflips, who could eat the most food, it didn’t matter,” said Willekes. “Pretty much everything we did growing up, it was a competition. All my siblings are fiercely competitive like I am, so it was kind of just the way it was growing up. I think you can see that in my game and everything I do. I’m very competitive.”

Source: Fifth Quarter

Willekes has played in 40 career games that included 38 starts and 31 consecutive starting nods over his final three seasons. He ranked first in school history in tackles for loss (51) and third in sacks (26). He also participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and performed well during the week of practices, recording two sacks during the game.

Source: The Draft Network

Kenny Willekes will represent the North team in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Mobile, Alabama. The 71st annual Senior Bowl will be televised live on the NFL Network, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. ET from Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Lions head coach Matt Patricia leads the North team.

Source: Michigan State University Athletics

Kenny Willekes is trying something new this week, and so far he likes it. A 4-3 defensive end during his four seasons at Michigan State football, Willekes has spent the week at the Senior Bowl rushing the quarterback out of a two-point stance. “He’s doing good with the transition,” said Lions defensive line coach Bo Davis, who’s working with Willekes on the North team. “It takes a little bit to get used to, but he’s doing a good job.”

Source: Detroit Free Press

Kenny Willekes will play one more game wearing a Michigan State helmetThe former All-American defensive end for the Spartans is a late addition as an accepted invite for the 2020 Senior Bowl.

Source: MLive.com

Almost a year to the day after breaking his leg, Kenny Willekes is ready for his Michigan State swan song. As usual, he’s trying to think of himself as an underdog. “Always,” he said. “That’s the way you’ve got to play, that’s the mentality I play with. I play with a chip on my shoulder regardless. I still feel like I got a lot to prove.”

Source: Washington Post

For the second consecutive season, Michigan State fifth-year senior defensive end Kenny Willekes has been named to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced on Thursday. The nation’s oldest All-America squad, dating back to 1889, was revealed during The Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show.

Source: Michigan State University Athletics

Michigan State fifth-year senior defensive end Kenny Willekes completed his improbable journey from walk-on to winning the Burlsworth Trophy on Monday. Joined by his grandparents and Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio, Willekes received the award during a reception hosted by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club at the Springdale Convention Center.

Source: Michigan State University Athletics