Spartan Great Kenneth Walker III Honored By Former All-Pro
It was not long ago when Kenneth Walker III carried the ball for the Michigan State Spartans. In fact, it will be the three-year anniversary of his Green and White debut on Sept. 4, 2021. The day he began his one-year demolition of expectations -- for himself and the 2021 team.
264 yards. Four touchdowns.
Other Spartans had more single-season rushing yards. Walker's 1,636 are just fourth on the Spartans' all-time single-season list -- one yard behind former All-American Javon Ringer, former NFL All-Pro Le'Veon Bell's 1,793, and perhaps the greatest of them all, Lorenzo White's history-making 2,066.
Still, Walker's impact was immeasurable. The mention of his name around East Lansing is sure to be accompanied by smiles.
How about Walker, that lone bright spot of Mel Tucker's tenure?
Now, Walker is with the Seattle Seahawks, where he is one of the premier running backs in the NFL. Walker was recently named among former All-Pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew's top RB1's heading into the 2024 season.
"The 2022 second-rounder has been a reliable running back for Seattle, eclipsing 1,100 scrimmage yards and scoring nine touchdowns in each of his first two seasons," Jones-Drew wrote." ... Walker's consistency is too vital to not have him on the field a majority of the time. His explosiveness and raw talent don't hurt, either."
That explosiveness and raw talent didn't hurt back in 2021, when Walker was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year along with winning the school's first-ever Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back and the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award (another first for the school and only second to the Heisman Trophy as the sport's the highest honor).
How about Walker, the man who near singlehandedly beat a Michigan team whose only other loss came to the eventual national champion?
Last season, in just 15 games for the Seahawks, Walker rushed for 905 yards and eight touchdowns on 219 carries (4.1 yards per carry). He had over 250 receiving yards and a score as well. He earned an elite 83.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, who named him the sixth-best running back in the league in 2023. PFF also named Walker the No. 4 running back to come out of the NFL Draft in the last three years.
How about Walker, finding success as one of the best running backs in the NFL?
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
MICHAEL FRANCE