The Michigan Panthers brought in some impressive talent this offseason. One of those names is DE Kenny Willekes, who is making his return to the state of Michigan to play with the Panthers.
Willekes signed with the team in early December, following some NFL workouts in the spring and summer. Panthers fans will certainly recognize the name, as Kenny went on an absolute tear with Michigan State from 2017-2019. Across that span, he started in 37 of 38 games played, totaling 228 tackles and 24.5 sacks.
Multiple NFL teams pursued Kenny coming out of college, and he landed with the Minnesota Vikings. Kenny posted 18 tackles and 2.5 sacks with the team, but ultimately dealt with some injuries that derailed his professional career.
Excitement For UFL Season
Now, Kenny will have the opportunity to get back on track in the UFL – something he’s very excited about accomplishing this spring. Yesterday, he spoke with the media to cover some topics regarding his football future in the spring scene.
“I’m super excited for this opportunity. Obviously I’ve taken two years away from football (due to injuries) and I’m very grateful that the UFL is giving me this chance to play football again. It’s a way to showcase that I belong at the highest level, and it’s basically a second chance to chase our dreams.”
He’s joining a very talented league, and has been impressed with what he’s seen in training camp so far.
“With the combining of the USFL and XFL, you can tell that there’s a lot of talent in this league. There’s a lot of guys who are showing up and competing. Across the board, there’s NFL-caliber talent on both sides of the football.”
When it comes to the amount of talent the Michigan Panthers feature on the defensive line, Kenny spoke highly of this group and what they’re capable of accomplishing this season.
“It’s coming along really well in camp. Coach Bauer is doing a great job of bringing us on and getting us…