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Michigan State Football: Kenneth Walker III lands on Doak Walker Award Watch List

The Wake Forest transfer is coming off a 13-touchdown season

Syndication: Lansing State Journal Nick King/Lansing State Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The running back room in East Lansing is amongst the best in the conference.

With the Doak Walker Award Watch List dropping on Wednesday morning, it’s also looking like Michigan State has one of the premier running backs in the nation.

Junior running back Kenneth Walker III earned his name on the list after his 13-touchdown, 579-rushing yard season in seven games for Wake Forest last year. That 13-touchdown mark was third highest in the ACC last season and also tied a single-season record for the Demon Deacons program.

In his two seasons at Wake Forest, Walker ran for 1,158 yards on 5.3 yards per carry, and scored 17 touchdowns in his 20 games there.

Walker was also recently named as a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Pro Football Focus.

A Michigan State running back has never won the Doak Walker Award, which began in 1990. Walker’s road to winning the award could be tough as he’ll be sharing touches with an experienced running back corps in Elijah Collins, Jordan Simmons, Connor Heyward and Harold Joiner III. Talk about a good problem to have.