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Michigan State Football: Top 10 prospects for 2020 NFL Draft

By Connor Muldowney

TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 08: (R-L) Khari Willis #27, Brian Lewerke #14, Joe Bachie #35, David Dowell #6 and basketball head coach Mike Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans walk out to mid field for the coin toss to the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 08: (R-L) Khari Willis #27, Brian Lewerke #14, Joe Bachie #35, David Dowell #6 and basketball head coach Mike Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans walk out to mid field for the coin toss to the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 18: Lorenzo Harrison III #2 of the Maryland Terrapins scores a second half touchdown past the tackle of Kenny Willekes #48 of the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 18: Lorenzo Harrison III #2 of the Maryland Terrapins scores a second half touchdown past the tackle of Kenny Willekes #48 of the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Last, but certainly not least, is Kenny Willekes. He’s ranked No. 1 on our list because, well, there have been mock drafts, including one from Saturday Blitz, that have Willekes going as high as the first round.

Willekes as a first-rounder would be the perfect scenario for both him and Mark Dantonio’s recruiting efforts. If he were to be selected on Day 1, the head coach could say that he’s had two former walk-ons picked in the first-round of the NFL draft — how many coaches can say that?

Jack Conklin set the bar high for former walk-ons, but Willekes has done his best to reach it. In fact, he was named an All-American, first-team All-Big Ten member and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award winner in 2018 before breaking his leg in the Redbox Bowl, destroying any hope of a jump to the NFL, it seemed.

Willekes announced he’d be returning for his senior year with Bachie and the two now have majoe expectations for the defense in 2019 — though Kenny is still rehabbing that leg.

Next. Meet Michigan State basketball's 2019 recruiting class. dark

If Willekes is back to 100 percent by the start of the season and puts up crazy numbers like he did in 2018 (20.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks), we could be talking about him as the next MSU player drafted in round one.

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