Antoine Winfield, Jr. | S | Minnesota
Height | 5-10
Weight | 205
Right now, all my focus is on Auburn, just for the bowl game. So, any decision that I will make will probably be after the bowl game.” -Winfield, Jr. to Twin Cities Pioneer Press on turning pro
Strengths
If the name Antoine Winfield sounds familiar to you, it should. Winfield, Jr. is the son of former Buffalo Bill and Minnesota Viking Antoine Winfield. It wasn’t that long ago that he was roaming the secondary on NFL fields. The son of the former Jim Thorpe Award winner however isn’t living off the legacy of his dad, he is quite the ballhawk himself.
The redshirt sophomore may be undersized in terms of what current front offices want but don’t let his stature confuse you, there is a lot of fight in Winfield. With his smaller compact frame, Winfield isn’t afraid to lay the wood on ball carriers where he can deliver ball separating hits. Very sound tackler at the collegiate level with over 80 combined tackles this season.
Ball skills. Ball skills. Ball skills. When you watch him roam the secondary there is no question that Winfield has all the traits you want at safety. He did secure a few balls on tip drills for interceptions but it was his ball tracking that really stands out. Uses his tracking skills to get in prime position to bring down the ball or force an incompletion. Even against taller receivers, Winfield will climb the ladder to make the play. Even when you don’t think he is anywhere near position to make a play he flies to the ball. His ability to click and close can’t be understated.
Weaknesses
There are really only two knocks to his game that I believe will hurt his draft stock. Winfield being a bit undersized might be a deterrent for some defensive coaches and schemes. With some teams deploying big slots (tight ends), he could struggle with the size and power.
Also the fact that he has been injured for two of his four seasons at Minnesota. That could be a red flag for some teams but the interview process will be key.
The other is the fact that Winfield really only has one season of big time production. This season he has been huge and teams should focus on the traits and less so about his production at the college level.
Bottom Line
Winfield could very well return to Minnesota in 2020 with two years of eligibility left due to being granted medical redshirts. Should he declare, he is the type of player that can make an impact.
