Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III

5-foot-9
211 pounds

Yahoo Sports' 2022 NFL draft grade

5.95 — possible second-rounder; starter potential

TL;DR scouting report

Potent one-cut runner with surprising speed and toughness who burst onto the scene in his one year as a featured runner at MSU

The skinny

A 3-star Rivals recruit in the Class of 2019, Walker had only three FBS offers, picking Wake Forest over Kent State, Arkansas State and several FCS schools. He ran for 579 yards and four TDs on 98 carries and caught three passes for 17 yards as a freshman, playing in all 13 games. In 2020, Walker ran 119 times for 579 yards and 13 TDs and caught three passes for 30 yards in seven games.

Walker transferred to Michigan State in 2021, winning the Walter Camp and Doak Walker awards, also finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He ran 263 times for 1,636 yards and 18 TDs and caught 13 passes for 89 yards and one more score before declaring early for the 2022 NFL draft.

Upside

• Great 40 time at NFL combine — 4.38 seconds, with 1.50 10-yard split

• Compact, powerful frame to handle rigors of inside carries

• Decisive — sees the hole, sticks his foot in the ground and goes

• Also patient and instinctive and lets his blocks develop

• Physical runner — doesn't shy away from contact

• Good contact balance to pinball off defenders and fall forward

• Sudden runner with good acceleration and footwork

• Enough bounce, burst to spring perimeter runs

• 30 runs of 15-plus yards in 2021

• Torched outstanding Michigan defense for 22-195-5 rushing

• Absurd tackle-breaking ability — led nation in yards after contact

• Eye-opening creativity with sneaky wiggle and shiftiness

• Makes lemonade out of lemons — turns would-be losses into gains

• Nice vision to spy backside cut options peripherally

• Workhorse makeup — 19-plus carries in nine of 11 games last season

• Good ball security — two fumbles on 506 career touches

• Low mileage — plenty of tread left on his tires

• Some kick-return experience

Downside

• Might not be a true workhorse at next level at 210 pounds

• Frame might be maxed out after adding 20-plus pounds since high school

• Took some shots last season — exposes himself to contact scratching out extra yards

• Vertical jump number (34 inches) suggests god but not great explosion

• Limited receiving usage — has ability to be decent receiver but hasn't done it yet

• Never caught pass 10-plus yards downfield — limited to checkdowns, screens

• Kind of just gets in the way in pass protection — technique work required here

• Will try to bounce outside with meat left on bone inside

• Runs a bit wild and out of control at times

• More effective as a volume runner

• Technically a one-year wonder — wasn't truly featured in two years at Wake

• Limited apparent special-teams value

• History of blood clots must be thoroughly vetted by doctors

Best-suited destination

Based on his college usage, Walker profiles as a tone-setting first- and second-down back early in his career while he develops his third-down value. He's not been used much as a receiver, and his effectiveness as a pass blocker has been sub-par to date, even though we believe there's hope for improvement in both facets. Walker might have warning-track power as far as being a big-play NFL back, but his consistent forward lean and burst should make him a featured runner for the next several years.

Did you know

Walker holds the record for longest run in program history at both his schools. He ripped off a 96-yarder as a freshman at Wake Forest vs. Rice in 2019 and then had a 94-yard touchdown run for Michigan State last season at Rutgers. The latter play was also the longest play from scrimmage in Spartans history.

Player comp

Similar to Raheem Mostert and Mark Ingram

Expected draft range

Second round