Kenneth Walker III is going pro. On Thursday, the Michigan State running back announced that he will forgo his remaining eligibility, skip the Peach Bowl, and enter the 2022 NFL Draft.
“It has been a true honor to represent Michigan State University and wear the Green and White,” Walker said in a statement. “I am beyond grateful to Coach Tucker and the entire staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to shine under their leadership. As the regular season has come to a close, I would like to announce that I have decided to forgo playing in the Peach Bowl to begin preparation for the NFL Draft.
“I would like to thank God, my family, my teammates, fans and all my coaches over the years for helping me become the player and man I am today. I will forever be a Spartan Dawg.”
Walker, the nation’s second leading rusher, has amassed 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns this year off of 263 carries. His performance earned him sixth-place in Heisman voting and the Doak Walker Award, given to the country’s best collegiate RB. Walker was also crowned a unanimous All-American. Needless to say, he won’t last long come April. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has the 5-foot-10, 212-pound Spartan ranked as the No. 1 RB in the ’22 class, ahead of Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller and Iowa State’s Breece Hall.
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