Michigan State football: Kendell Brooks signs with Cardinals as UDFA

I’ll be completely honest, when Kendell Brooks transferred to Michigan State football from the Division II level, I didn’t expect much.

Boy, I’m glad I was wrong.

Going from the Division II level to the FBS was not a casual move, but Brooks was ready. He played primarily special teams as a junior in 2021 before earning a larger role in 2022 and excelling in the defensive backfield. The secondary was a weakness for the Spartans in 2022, but I felt like Brooks was a bright spot.

He finished his senior year with 100 total tackles which was second on the team along with his 756 snaps — also second. Brooks added 3.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. He was an absolute force in the secondary.

Now, he’s in the NFL.

The Michigan State football star has had quite the journey

Starting his career at North Greenville University in South Carolina, Brooks has had quite the rise. He has gone from Division II star to special teams player at Michigan State to starting safety for the Spartans and now he’s officially an Arizona Cardinal.

I really like this move by the Cardinals because I have thought Brooks was underrated from the get-go as the draft process got underway. While he may not blow anyone away with his testing results, the tape speaks for itself.

Brooks was a really strong tackler for the Spartans and there were a number of times this year where I said to myself, “Wow, he’s really good.”

And that’s coming from someone who was more than critical about the secondary.

I expect Brooks to contend for a spot on the 53-man roster or at least the practice squad.