The first round of the 2022 NFL Draft may have the most storylines and star players, but plenty of first round-caliber players will be taken on Day 2.
Case in point: Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III. The 2021 Doak Walker Award winner (as college football's top running back) will hope to use his breakout campaign in East Lansing as a jumping-off point into the NFL. The fact he is considered a second-round pick has less to do with his production in college and more to do with running backs being devalued in today's NFL.
MORE: NFL Draft prospects 2022: Top 10 running backs, ranked
Indeed, The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer ranks Walker as the top running back in this year's draft class, just ahead of Iowa State's Breece Hall. Only time will tell whether Walker is the first running back taken off the board, though, and, if so, where.
TSN News has everything you need to know about Walker, including draft projections, college stats and highlights, and more:
Kenneth Walker NFL Draft projections
Like Hall, Walker is considered a second-round prospect. Per NFL Mock Draft Database, he is the 39th-best prospect, which would place him with the Bears early in the second round.
Iyer projects Walker to go 57th overall, just two picks behind Hall, to the Bills. It's a projection he shares with ESPN's analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay.
| Expert (Outlet) | Round (pick) | Team |
| Vinnie Iyer (TSN) | 2 (57) | Bills |
| Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN) | 2 (57) | Bills |
| Todd McShay (ESPN) | 2 (57) | Bills |
| Kiper-McShay (ESPN) | 2 (38) | Jets |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | 2 (50) | Dolphins |
MORE NFL DRAFT: Complete seven-round mock | Top 100 big board
Kenneth Walker stats
Walker had two modest seasons at Wake Forest, to which he committed out of high school, in 2019 and 2020. Then he transferred to Michigan State and exploded onto the scene with one of the best rushing seasons of 2021. He earned the Walter Camp Player of the Year and Doak Walker awards and was a unanimous All-America selection.
Last year, Walker rushed 263 times for 1,636 yards — an absurd 6.2 yards per carry — and 18 touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 89 yards and another score. Below are his year-over-year stats in college, the first two at Wake Forest and the last one at Michigan State:
| YEAR | ATT | YDS | YPC | TDs | REC | YDS | TDs |
| 2019 | 98 | 579 | 5.9 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 0 |
| 2020 | 119 | 579 | 4.9 | 13 | 3 | 30 | 0 |
| 2021 | 263 | 1,636 | 6.2 | 18 | 13 | 89 | 1 |
Kenneth walker 40 time
Walker was one of the running backs who ran a scorching 40 at the NFL Combine, posting a 4.38 time. That tied him for third-fastest with North Carolina's Ty Chandler and FIU's D'vonte Price. He was behind only South Dakota State's Pierre Strong and Rutgers' Isiah Pacheco.
Kenneth Walker height, weight
Walker's time in the 40 is impressive, but what makes it more astounding are his height and especially his weight; he's listed at 5-9 and 211 pounds. His combination of speed and compact build make him a potential terror for NFL defenses. If he can show pass-catching ability, his shiftiness and straight-line speed could make him one of the top running backs to come out of this draft.
