Arkansas State’s steady, disruptive middle-of-the-defense linebacker
Willekes is coming off a strong 2024 season for Arkansas State, finishing with 92 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and an interception, while earning AP All-Bowl Team recognition for his bowl-game impact.[1][2][6] He fits best as a high-effort, run-stopping linebacker who flashes production in every phase of the front seven, and the bigger differentiator is his consistency—he started all 13 games in 2023 and 2024 and has shown he can be trusted to anchor a defense rather than just pile up empty stats.[1][10][18]
