Kenny Willekes

Kenny Willekes returns for his third season with Minnesota in 2023. Willekes was originally drafted by Minnesota in the seventh-round (225th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has played in six career games with the Vikings and tallied 18 tackles (11 solo), seven quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed. In 2022, Willekes spent the entire season on injured reserve. A native of Rockford, Michigan, Willekes started in 38 of his 40 career games with the Spartans and posted 229 tackles, 51 tackles for loss and 26.0 sacks. He was named a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten defensive end and finished his career as the Spartans record holder for tackles for loss (51).

OFF THE FIELD

• The 5th of 8 children in the family. Younger brother Charles, Jr. also played on the Michigan State football team; older brother Lourens is a national champion trampoline gymnast; sister Holliann is a lawyer, and sister Allison is a concert pianist. Father, Charles, is a heart surgeon.

• Graduated with his bachelor's degree in chemistry in December of 2020.

Kenny Willekes returns for his third season with Minnesota in 2023. Willekes was originally drafted by Minnesota in the seventh-round (225th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has played in six career games with the Vikings and tallied 18 tackles (11 solo), seven quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed. In 2022, Willekes spent the entire season on injured reserve. A native of Rockford, Michigan, Willekes started in 38 of his 40 career games with the Spartans and posted 229 tackles, 51 tackles for loss and 26.0 sacks. He was named a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten defensive end and finished his career as the Spartans record holder for tackles for loss (51).

OFF THE FIELD

• The 5th of 8 children in the family. Younger brother Charles, Jr. also played on the Michigan State football team; older brother Lourens is a national champion trampoline gymnast; sister Holliann is a lawyer, and sister Allison is a concert pianist. Father, Charles, is a heart surgeon.

• Graduated with his bachelor's degree in chemistry in December of 2020.

PRO

• Selected in the 7th round (#225 overall) in 2020, part of a 15-member draft class, the biggest in Vikings history since going to a 7-round draft.

• Placed on the Vikings Reserve/Injured list on 9/2/20.

• Part of a Big Ten draft class that had the 2nd-most players selected in 2019 behind only the SEC.

2020: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Placed on Injured Reserve following training camp on 9/2.

COLLEGE

• A 2-time 1st-Team All-Big Ten DE that finished his Spartan career as school record holder with 51 TFL.

• Ended career 3rd in MSU history with 26.0 career sacks.

• Started 38 of his 40 career games, posting 229 career tackles, with career-high 78 stops in 2018 and 2019, adding career-high 10.5 sacks in 2019.

• Won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation's most outstanding player that began his career as a walk-on.

• Named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss.

• The 1st defensive player in school history to win the Governor's Award (team MVP) twice, doing so in 2018 and 2019.

• A 2-time Walter Camp All-America, 2nd-Team in 2018 and '19.

• Suffered a broken fibula in the 2018 Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon but went on to play the entire 2019 season.

PREP

• A 3-time 1st-Team All-Conference honoree at North Pointe.

• 2014 Michigan AP All-State 1st-Team LB.

• Helped lead the Mustangs to an 11-2 record and a trip to the Division 6 semifinals in 2014.

• Helped lead Grand Rapids Catholic Central to the Division 1 state rugby championship in 2014.