The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing DE Kenny Willekes, according to UFL reporter James Larsen on X.
Willekes was selected in the seventh-round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He did not make their 53-man roster that year but landed on the practice squad and was activated for several games over the next couple seasons. He was ultimately released in May 2023 before signing in the UFL with the Michigan Panthers.
In the NFL, he appeared in six games with 18 total tackles, two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven QB hits, and one pass defensed. In the UFL, he is coming off a stellar season with 31 total tackles, four sacks, and 28 total pressures last season.
One of those six career games was against the Steelers in 2021. He made a tackle in that game and played 31 defensive snaps.
At the NFL Combine coming out Michigan State, Willekes measured at 6034, 264 pounds, with 31 1/4-inch arms. He ran a 4.87-second 40-yard dash and put up a whopping 32 reps on the bench press.
In the NFL, Pro Football Focus has him charted for 202 total snaps on defense and 27 on special teams with the Vikings. He primarily played defensive end and would project as an edge defender in the Steelers’ system. He played on two special teams units with the punt return and field goal block groups.
Willekes shared a highlight reel video thanking the UFL and announcing his opportunity in the NFL.
Roster cutdowns are exactly a week away, and the Steelers have a crowded OLB room with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jack Sawyer. Willekes should have an opportunity to state his case for a spot on the practice squad over the next week and will likely play a ton in the final preseason game on Thursday if the Steelers can get him up to speed in time.
Here is our scouting report for Willekes coming out of college back in 2020. Our Josh Carney noted him as a high-energy and high-effort player with solid fundamentals. We gave him a mid-Day 3 draft grade.