Kenneth Walker III, Connor Heyward square off in NFL preseason opener

Former Michigan State football stars and 2022 NFL Draft picks Connor Heyward and Kenneth Walker III will square off on Saturday night.

If you’re anything like me, the NFL preseason probably doesn’t even take up an inch of real estate in your mind. Sure, it means football is back and it’s our first taste of the best sport in the world after a long offseason, but the fact that it’s meaningless just ruins it for me.

There is one exception to this, however: if a former Michigan State player is getting a chance to prove himself and earn a starting role with a strong preseason.

That means Saturday night is going to be huge for myself and other like-minded Spartan fans.

Kenneth Walker III and Connor Heyward will both be playing in their first-ever preseason games for the Seahawks and the Steelers, respectively. And get this, they’ll be facing off against one another in Pittsburgh. The two friends and former teammates will meet up in their first live NFL action outside of preseason camp and it’ll be an opportunity for both to earn extra playing time.

Heyward has been earning some praise out of fall camp thus far as he looks like a lock to make the roster this season and have an impact on the offensive side of the ball.

Walker has been a “surprise” for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. He has improved as a pass-blocker and he has a chance to overtake Rashaad Penny as the starter with a strong preseason. He’s been putting on a show in Seahawks camp and he looks like a budding star.

If you’re looking to catch these two on Saturday night, the game will be at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network. This will be a fun one.