The Michigan Panthers re-signed defensive lineman Kenny Willekes, linebacker Noah Dawkins, and defensive back Sean Mahone on Friday according to the UFL Transactions page.
Kenny Willekes is six foot three and weighs 264 pounds. The 27-year-old from Rockford, Michigan, was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round (225th pick) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He played six games in his rookie season with 18 tackles (11 solo, 7 assists), two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and one pass breakup.
He spent the majority of his time on Minnesota’s practice squad. The Vikings released him on May 23, 2023. The Michigan Panthers signed Willekes on December 8, 2023. In 2024, Willekes made 21 tackles (12 solo, 9 assists), 5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and one fumble recovery in 9 games.
Collegiately, Willekes played four seasons at Michigan State (2016-19) with 229 tackles (104 solo, 125 assists), 51 tackles for loss, 26 sacks, four pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries in 40 games for the Spartans.
He was a two-time First Team All-Big 10 (2018-19), Third Team All-Big 10 (2017), winner of the Burlsworth Trophy (2019), and was named the Smith–Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year (2018).
Noah Dawkins is six foot one and weighs 235 pounds. The 27-year-old from Spartanburg, South Carolina, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2019. He also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets. Dawkins played 17 games making 3 tackles (2 solo, 1 assist).
Then, Dawkins signed with the Michigan Panthers on March 14, 2023. In 2023, Dawkins made 35 tackles (21 solo, 14 assists), one tackle for loss, one interception for 41 yards, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 9 games. In the 2023 USFL playoffs, Dawkins made 4 tackles (1 solo, 3 assists) against the Pittsburgh Maulers.
In 2024, Dawkins made 39 tackles (24 solo, 15 assists), 3 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery in 8 games. In the 2024 UFL playoffs against the Birmingham Stallions, Dawkins made 9 tackles (8 solo, 1 assist), one sack, and one forced fumble.
Collegiately, Dawkins played four seasons at Citadel (2015-18) making 168 tackles (107 solo, 61 assists), 32 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two interceptions for 47 yards, one touchdown, 5 pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 46 games for the Bulldogs.
Sean Mahone is five foot eleven and weighs 203 pounds. The 26-year-old from Liberty Township, Ohio, signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2022. The Jaguars released him on May 16, 2022.
Then, Mahone signed with the Michigan Panthers on June 2, 2022. In 2022, Mahone made 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists) and two pass breakups in 2 games. In 2023, Mahone made 51 tackles (33 solo, 18 assists), 4 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 10 games.
In the 2023 USFL playoffs, Mahone made 7 tackles (1 solo, 6 assists) against the Pittsburgh Maulers. In 2024, Mahone made 20 tackles (12 solo, 8 assists), one tackle for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble in 9 games. In the 2024 UFL playoffs, Mahone made 3 tackles (2 solo, 1 assist) against the Birmingham Stallions.
Collegiately, Mahone played five seasons at West Virginia (2017-21) making 224 tackles (135 solo, 89 assists), 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 4 interceptions for 32 yards, 12 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries in 55 games for the Mountaineers. He was named Second Team All-Big XII by Pro Football Focus in 2020, and Third Team All-Big XII by Phil Steele in 2021.
