Remember Kenny Willekes?
One Former Viking Is Tearing Up the UFL
The former Minnesota Vikings draft pick and pass rusher is cooking in the UFL, an alternative league that also features ex-Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond.
Willekes plays for the Michigan Panthers, while Mond leads the San Antonio Brahmas. Both men are actually employed by teams from their home states.
Mond has not quite excelled early in the UFL season, but Willekes has, so much so that he’s turning heads with his performance.
Kenny Willekes Thriving in UFL
Through three games, Willekes’ Panthers have a 2-1 record, and he has personally accounted for 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The 27-year-old has found rejuvenation in the UFL, a league that is often a springboard to the NFL.
For example, the Vikings signed defensive tackle Jalen Redmond last summer, who made a name for himself in the UFL. Redmond quickly caught on with the Vikings, making the 53-man roster last August and balling out when called upon in the regular season.
With any luck, Willekes could emulate Redmond’s path.
Willekes stacked these accomplishments in college at Michigan State:
- Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year (2018)
- Burlsworth Trophy (2019)
- 2x First-team All-Big Ten (2018, 2019)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2017)
Pro Football Focus on Willekes
PFF took notice of Willekes’ performance this week, and in fact, the former Viking is the highest-grade player on the Panthers’ roster through three games.
Ben Cooper of PFF noted, “Kenny Willekes is quickly establishing himself as the UFL’s top pass rusher in 2025. His 33.9% pass-rush win rate far outpaces any other defender, and his 18.6% pressure rate is a top-five mark in the league. Willekes ranked first in PFF pass-rush grade (90.7) in Week 3 after securing a league-high eight quarterback pressures.”
“Kenny Willekes is flashing early-season pass-rush dominance: The Michigan edge defender secured a league-high eight quarterback pressures in Week 3, and his 33.9% pass-rush win rate this season far outpaces any other defender,” Cooper reiterated.
These are the top-graded Panthers performers as of April 17th:
- Kenny Willekes (DE) — 90.6
- D.J. Miller Jr. (CB) — 89.7
- Cohl Cabral (G) — 82.6
- Kai Nacua (S) — 81.7
- Breeland Speaks (DE)— 81.7
Kenny Willekes with the Vikings
The Vikings drafted Willekes in 2020, a 7th-Rounder and fruit from the Stefon Diggs trade to Buffalo, which also fetched Justin Jefferson and Camryn Bynum.
Willekes served as a classic example of a player for whom fans had high hopes — basically every offseason — but injuries habitually stunted his development. Willekes ultimately hit injured reserve in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The last anybody heard from him occurred in May 2023 when Minnesota released him from the roster. Most believed he had quietly retired. Now, in the UFL, he’s back.
Willekes played 202 defensive snaps with the Vikings, all in the 2021 campaign, and tabulated 9 quarterback pressures, 2.5 sacks, and 18 total tackles. When he saw the field — a rarity — he produced.
In that vein, it’s almost no wonder he’s taken off in an alternative football league. Few questioned his on-field performance. Injuries got in the way.
Before the Vikings Chapter
PurplePTSD.com, a partner website to VikingsTerritory, recently chronicled Willekes’ high school and college production. Janik Eckardt wrote, “Despite racking up 423 tackles in his high school career in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he didn’t receive a single D-I scholarship and decided to compete as a walk-on at Michigan State. One year as a redshirt was followed by a year with one appearance on gameday. Prior to the 2017 season, his third campaign, he earned a scholarship. Willekes became a full-time starter, and he tabulated 72 tackles and 7 sacks. Not bad for a walk-on.”
“In 2018, he was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and 2019. He was also the recipient of the Burlsworth Trophy in 2019 for the most outstanding FBS college player who began his career as a walk-on.”
Willekes equitably stifled the run and tormented quarterbacks at Michigan State.
Eckardt concluded, “Throughout his college career, Willekes accumulated 229 tackles, 26 sacks, and 52 tackles for loss in 40 games.”
An NFL Deal Incoming?
If Willekes sustains his current UFL pace, he’ll have an NFL summer contract in no time. Redmond paved the way last year, and the move netted dividends for Minnesota in 2024.
Willekes may not specifically sign with the Vikings — their EDGE room is pretty damn deep — but some team will take the plunge, and at the very least, attach him to the practice squad.
Willekes will turn 28 in July.
