Khari Willis, team captain, and safety for the Michigan State Spartans is the ninth Michigan State defensive back to be drafted under the Mark Dantonio regime. The Indianapolis Colts traded up twenty spots to get their guy, taking Willis in the fourth round, 109th overall.
Naturally, Mark Dantonio had some comments on Khari Willis being selected:
“Khari really did it all for us,” Dantonio said. “He started games for us all four years and played a lot on special teams. He’s not only tough and competitive, but has a lot of football intelligence and has proven himself as a great leader. He was a point guard in high school and is extremely quick. He’s also an excellent tackler with good ball skills. Khari is everything you want as a person and as a leader on your football team.”
The Jackson, Michigan native was a consistent force for the Spartans, starting thirty of his forty-six career games. A team captain as a senior, Willis ended his career with 196 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and 1 huge forced fumble against Trace McSorley in the Spartans upset of Penn State last season.
He joins former Big Ten rival Malik Hooker in the defensive backfield for the Colts. You can read Michigan State’s official statement on Willis here.
