Michigan State Football: Kenny Willekes putting himself on nation’s radar
Kenny Willekes led the nation’s defensive ends in an impressive stat from Week 4 at Indiana. What did the Michigan State football star accomplish?
What a start to the 2018 season it’s been for junior defensive end Kenny Willekes. The former walk-on seems hungry to prove that 2017 was no fluke, racing out to a hot start, including 17 total tackles, five for loss and three sacks.
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Against Indiana, he was terrific, recording eight tackles and a sack with two tackles for loss, but that line wasn’t quite as impressive as what didn’t show up on the stat sheet — at least most normal stat sheets.
Pro Football Focus likes the obscure, yet relevant, stats and Willekes led the nation in one of them, and it’s an impressive figure.
Week 4's leaders in total QB pressures from the edge – beginning with Michigan State's Kenny Willekes. pic.twitter.com/o1NpNNf8xV
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 23, 2018
Quarterback pressures from FBS edge defenders. If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is. Willekes led all edge defenders in pressures in Week 4, recording 12 against the Hoosiers, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as he was in on essentially every pass play.
Peyton Ramsey felt the pressure from Willekes all game long and was forced to get the ball out quickly. He attempted 46 passes and Willekes was in on about 25 percent of them — now that’s something to celebrate.
The pass rush looks to be on the way back to its normal, elite ways, but it’ll need Willekes to do this kind of thing on a weekly basis.
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Willekes is putting himself on the nation’s radar and that’ll continue to happen and he’ll soon become a household name with games like these. This kid is a star in the making.