The NFL Draft kicks off in a few weeks, starting on Thursday, April 25 in Nashville, Tennessee. Which Spartans will be making the jump to the pros and where are they currently slated to be drafted?
This was not the Michigan State football’s finest season, and the draft projections reflect that. Injuries and inconsistent play likely diminished some player’s chances, and Michigan State only has one player who is considered a lock to be drafted this year.
Kenny Willekes, the former walk-on defensive end turned star pass rusher, would likely be drafted in the middle of the draft if he returned this year, but he has announced that he will be returning to the team for his senior season.
Justin Layne
Justin Layne is Michigan State’s best NFL prospect this year, and it’s not particularly close. With an impressive 15 pass breakups in the 2018 season, Layne established himself as one of the premier shutdown corners in the Big Ten. At 6’2″, 192 pounds, he has the size needed to cover NFL wideouts, and while his 4.5-second 40-yard dash time isn’t going to blow anyone away, it should be enough to keep him in the second-round conversation.
DraftWire currently has him as their 61st ranked prospect in their latest mock draft, good for the tail end of the second round. I think he’ll be a solid pro, who is well-balanced, strong, and quick enough to make a mark at the next level.
DraftWire recently interviewed Layne, which you can check out here.
Felton DAvis III
Felton Davis III was about as close to a lock to become an NFL player as Michigan State has seen at the receiver position since the days of Plaxico Burress and Charles Rogers. That all changed back in October when he suffered a devastating achilles tear.
An achilles tear, for any athlete, can change you for the rest of your life. It can affect burst, speed, agility — everything. Teams are not in the wrong for being cautious about Davis heading into the draft.
At the combine, Felton Davis III was not able to run the 40-yard dash. However, he was able to participate in the bench press and posted the fourth-best results for the wide receiver group. The questions will be around his speed, but teams might just have to take a risk on him. He is a big target at 6’4″, and he’s already proven to be sure-handed and able to produce. Because of this, I feel that some team will take a calculated risk on the Davis and we will see him in the NFL next year.
Khari Willis
Team Captain Khari Willis will have an opportunity at the NFL level. It is unclear at this time if that opportunity will come via the NFL Draft, a training camp invite, or grinding his way through practice squads, but he will get his chance. Dane Brugler has him currently listed as his 201st ranked prospect, which would place him in the 6th round.
Willis is a smart player who can cover, who can tackle, and who knows how to make plays. He is also a locker room leader who has always been renowned for his character, a type of trait NFL teams are learning how to quantify and analyze. The knocks on him will be purely around his athleticism.
I believe he will certainly find his way to a roster, but it will be fun to see if a team takes a shot on one of the leaders of the Spartans football program in the draft.
LJ Scott
I have absolutely no idea what to make of LJ Scott or where he might get drafted. I have seen mock drafts that have him going un-drafted, then I’ll also see stuff like this after LJ Scott originally said he’d be using his redshirt to return for another season:
Scott led the team in rushing for three straight years and was a big part of the Spartans identity over that time, but seemed to slow down more and more each year, finishing his career averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry. I have not seen him listed in any mock drafts, which would indicate he will be un-drafted, but it’s hard to gauge right now. All I know is that he definitely looks like an NFL player, for whatever that is worth.
I think he was hurt by the lack of a passing game these last few years in East Lansing. Teams could tee off on him and I think it hurt his production. If teams think that as well, we could see him drafted at the end of the month.
Conclusion
Not the strongest year for the Spartans, but I expect some guys like Matt Sokol to at least find a home on a practice squad and try to work their way to a full-time gig.
Watch out for next year though, as the Spartans plan to roar back with potentially a large group heading to the draft combine, headlined by names like Kenny Willekes, Joe Bachie, and Raequan Williams.
