Gil Brandt, former VP of Player Personnel for the Dallas Cowboys for 29 years, now an NFL.com senior analyst put out a tweet today listing his top-5 senior defensive ends going into the 2019 football senior and, ultimately, the 2020 NFL Draft in Las Vegas. Michigan State stud pass rusher Kenny Willekes was listed number two on the list despite coming off a broken leg.
Willekes, the Rockford, Michigan product, started his career at Michigan State as a walk-on, redshirting his first season in 2015. In 2016, he made his way into a game just once against Rutgers, playing four snaps in that outing. Finally, Willekes fully emerged in 2017 after getting playing time, ending the season being named Third Team All-Big Ten.
Willekes fully emerged to national prominence in 2018. He made numerous First and Second Team All-American voting lists. He finished the 2018 season with 35 solo tackles, 20.5 of which were for a loss (1st in the Big Ten), and 8 sacks.
