​It’s a pivotal year for star running back Kenneth Walker III as he leaves the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to join the Kansas City Chiefs. He departed the Pacific Northwest on a high note, clinching the Super Bowl LX MVP after rushing for a season-best 135 yards and adding 26 receiving yards. Walker was the standout offensive figure in a Super Bowl that ended 29-13, a game that carried a pragmatic, defensively minded tenor into the third quarter. He propelled the game beyond the grind, earning a substantial free-agent deal shortly after: the Chiefs signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract.
Drafted by the Seahawks in the second round as the 41st overall pick in 2022 out of Michigan State, Walker skipped his senior season to enter the draft early. The move paid off, as he began his NFL career with an explosive start, amassing 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. His early excellence earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, a complement to the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Player of the Year honors he earned the previous season at MSU. As he changes teams this season, Walker reflects on his growth since his rookie year. “I know a lot more—more detail in my game, in passing and running, everything,” Walker told Ratings in an exclusive. “I’m more precise now. The rookie year was really about figuring things out, understanding the playbook. I feel like I’m much more detailed and I have a clearer grasp of everything.”
Walker’s college career began at Wake Forest for two years before he transferred to East Lansing, where his talents truly blossomed. That development could unfold again at the NFL level with the Chiefs. It seems Andy Reid’s scheme might suit him nicely, as Reid does not typically rely on a single dominant back or a heavy run-first approach. A lighter load could suit Walker perfectly. ESPN NFL Analyst Dan Orlovsky believes Walker will “100%” transform the Chiefs, a team that ended its dynasty run after last season and missed the postseason the year prior. Notably, Walker missed the Seahawks’ Super Bowl ring ceremony, having previously stated in an interview with PFTPM (via NBC Sports) that he hoped to attend.
With that in mind, mark week seven on your calendar as the date Kenneth Walker returns to Seattle—this time donning a Chiefs uniform. This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Kenneth Walker III went from a second-round pick to Super Bowl MVP.