Kenneth Walker III

School:  Michigan State

Size:   5’10/ 210 lbs.

I Rate all RB’s on a scale of 1-10

• Footwork: 8

• Vision: 9

• Patience:  9

• Elusiveness/ Evasion:  7

• Contact Balance:  8

• Tackle Breaking Ability (when a defender has a hand on him):   8

• Game Speed: 8.5

• Burst:  8 

• Hands:  8
• Route Running:  4

• Run Toughness:  7

Overall: 84

I also tally the following:

Games Watched:  5

Successful Stiff Arms:  2

Successful Spin Moves:  1

Trucks:  2 

Tackles Shed: 32

Evaded Tackles:  31

Pass Block Losses:  7

Pass Block Wins:  21

Fall Forwards:  39

College Stats:

2019: 98 Att./579 Yards/5.9 YPC/ 4 TDs

2020: 119 Att./579 Yards/ 4.9 YPC/ 13 TDs

2021: 263 Att./1,636 Yards/ 6.2 YPC/ 18 TDs

Summary/Fantasy Upside: 

Kenneth Walker blew me away with some of his explosiveness when I put his tape on. He was consistently finding cutback lanes and making defenses pay. He’s a good creator whether in open space or between the tackles. He has solid contact balance, has enough wiggle, and enough lower body powers to become a very good NFL RB.

If there was an area of concern it would be as a receiver, although I think he will be fine catching check downs at the next level. Then, once he’s in space he becomes a problem. His passing protection is very good and he can play 3rd downs but at his size, not an ideal bell cow.

I think Kenneth Walker can be a mid-RB2 in most formats and the best landing spots for him would be BUF, HOU, TB, MIA, and ATL. Below are some notes I wrote down while watching his tape.

Passing Game

• Going to be a great outlet for QBs out of the backfield
• Capable of pancakes in pass pro
• Wasn’t asked to run many routes
• Can be slow to react at times in pass pro but solid overall
• Can struggle to pick up blitzes
• When thrown to he has displayed good hands

Physical Ability

• Minimal wasted movement
• More powerful than you’d expect for his size
• Great contact balance for his size
• Can turn on the jets at the 2nd level
• Good elusiveness in tight places
• Can change run angles quickly
• Very fluid running motion
• Can beat DBs outside
• Can get run down from behind on breakaways
• Has a very nice N and S burst
• Uses great shoulder fakes to freeze defenders
• He won’t be crazy fast but fast enough to make huge plays at the NFL level
• Can bounce of Safeties
• Can break even good tackle attempts
• Can break your ankles
• Use hips well to freeze LBs
• Deceptive runner

Awareness

• Takes what defense gives him
• Reads over-pursuing DE’s well and has good vision to bounce outside
• Like to cut and run left way more than the right
• Good nose for the end zone
• Carries ball high and tight
• Great vision
• Great patience- doesn’t panic no matter what is going on
• Mainly a one-cut runner but can make guys miss
• Consistently chooses correct running angles
• Will be effective in misdirection
• Reads and sets up blocks well
• Helps his blockers with fakes to the other gap
• Shows a good ability to feel people around him
• Good peripheral vision

Effort/ Versatility 

• Can’t always shed arm tackles and goes down too easy at times
• He will have to prove he can run to the right in NFL
• Not afraid to do the dirty work
• If you don’t bring him to the ground he will extend it and keep the run alive
• Intense effort always
• OL gets bailed out by him some
• Does what has to be done in short yardage
• Good lower body power that can be used to move DT’s back