Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III among best available in NFL Draft Day 2

In a previous era Kenneth Walker III may have been a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. But once again the first-round came and went without a single running back selected.

With the second round quickly approaching, both fans and draft analysts believe the former Michigan State Spartans star will be one of the early picks. Walker could very well be the first running back selected in the entire draft. According to the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, fans ranked Walker fourth among best available players for round two, with seven percent saying he’s the best option to start the night.

Ahead of Walker, Georgia’s Nakobe Dean very easily could have been a first-round pick. Michigan’s David Ojabo will also likely be an early pick on Friday, despite his current injury. Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, however, is a bit of a wild card.

Draft analysts from NFL.com and ESPN have Walker among the top-15 best available. Both sites have him listed as their second running back, behind Iowa State’s Breece Hall.

If Walker is selected Friday night, he will become the highest drafted MSU player since at least 2017 (MaliK McDowell went No. 35 overall that year) and possibly since Jack Conklin was picked in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft (eighth overall). Walker is likely to be the first Spartan drafted this season, with both Jalen Nailor and Connor Heyward expected to go later in the draft.