Michigan State Football: Kenneth Walker III should be first RB drafted

There’s speculation regarding the first running back to come off the board in the draft, but it should be Michigan State football’s Kenneth Walker III.

It’s officially NFL Draft Day. One of the best days of the year for sports fans also has to be just that for the football players who have been dreaming about hearing their names called. One of those players happens to be Michigan State football star Kenneth Walker III.

The Spartan running back transferred from Wake Forest last offseason and put up some incredible numbers before winning the Doak Walker Award and being named an All-American.

In fact, Walker rushed for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.2 yards per touch which is even more impressive when you consider how shaky Michigan State’s offensive line was. He had some of the most yards after contact in the country and he forced the most broken tackles for most of the season. He was just simply on a different level than any other running back in college football.

However, there are some draft experts who believe Breece Hall is going to be the first running back chosen. That shouldn’t be the case.

Hall did show more receiving prowess at Iowa State, catching 82 passes for 734 yards over three years with the Cyclones. Walker had just 19 catches for 146 yards.

But that’s just one area that Hall holds the advantage. Walker is shiftier in the open field and in tight spaces and can make guys miss in a telephone booth. He’s a little smaller, but he makes up for that slightly lesser frame with speed, strength, and the ability to make guys miss. His cuts are deadly and he ran a 4.38 40-yard-dash at the combine which was second-best among running backs. Hall was just behind with a 4.39.

Walker was clearly the best running back in college football this past season and he has all the qualities NFL teams look for in premier backs. He’s strong, smart, has great vision, is excellent at changing directions, can make quick cuts that make defenders miss, has elite speed, and is almost un-tackleable (I just made up the word?) in the open field.

Hall is a good back, but Kenneth Walker III is RB1 this year and there should be zero doubt.

Let’s hope he sneaks into the end of the first but there’s not as much value in the position as others so early second round will be the likely scenario.

Walker has “future All-Pro” written all over him, so a team that needs a running back passing up on him for Hall would be a mistake.