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Michigan State Football: Walk-on Kenny Willekes earns scholarship

By Stephen Robb

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State football just put Kenny Willekes on scholarship and he could bring some muscle to the defensive line.

Redshirt sophomore Kenny Willekes was put on scholarship and should bring some much needed muscle to Michigan State football’s defensive line.

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Kenny Willekes is a 6-foot-3, 255-pound former walk-on sophomore. He played in high school at NorthPointe Christian School in Grand Rapids, Mich. When he committed, MLive’s Steve Kaminski did a story about Willekes and he quotes NorthPointe head coach Tim Swore concerning Kenny’s recruitment, “Kenny is an example of why we need to revamp the recruiting process.”

Kenny is another player on the talented Spartan team, who was over-looked by recruiting experts. He’s an excellent athlete who possessed the agility, speed and hustle to play basketball for his high school. He played linebacker in high school, but with his increased weight he can be on the defensive line. I noticed in watching his film is that he flies to the ball as if he is on a jet-powered scooter, which is why he made 300 tackles in his high school career.

Every time I watched him make a tackle I witnessed proper technique and leverage in tackling. Willekes was able to hunt down opponents sprinting away from other NorthPointe players. This is such a great skill with college teams using the bubble screens and swing passes. Michigan State has been burned by those plays the last several years. Having a player like Willekes will help shore things up.

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He is the type of player who is a “gym rat,” a football junkie. There is much fight in him and it is desperately needed on this line. Spartan Nation should be excited to have him finally on scholarship.

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