Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr. (21) tackles Rutgers wide receiver JaQuae Jackson (9) during an NCAA football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in State College, Pa. The Nittany Lions won, 27-6.
Kevin Winston Jr. S Penn State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Kevin Winston Jr. S Penn State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/24/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (86%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.3 DOB: 12/02/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Man-Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 02/24/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (86%*) | |
| Age: 21.3 DOB: 12/02/2003 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 83.8 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 88.0 | |
| Tackling: |
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94% |
| Run Defense: |
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97% |
| Coverage: |
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82% |
| Zone: |
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73% |
| Man/Press: |
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83% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#98
Position rank:
#17
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| College Games: 23 College Snaps: 674 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kitan Oladapo - Oregon State |
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83% |
| Lewis Cine - Georgia |
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80% |
| Markquese Bell - Florida A&M |
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75% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Winston Jr. comes from football bloodlines – his father played at James Madison – and it shows in his natural instincts for the game. The two-time team MVP and All-Met State Defensive Player of the Year arrived at Penn State as a four-star recruit in 2022 and wasted no time making his presence felt, appearing in 12 games as a true freshman and recording 16 tackles with limited opportunities.Winston Jr. exploded onto the national scene in 2023, starting all 13 games and leading the Nittany Lions with 60 tackles while adding 2.5 TFLs, two fumble recoveries, an interception and five pass breakups. His performance against Michigan (career-high 12 tackles) showcased his ability to perform against elite competition. The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection entered 2024 with tremendous momentum before disaster struck – a partially torn ACL in September against Bowling Green prematurely ended his junior campaign after just two appearances.
Despite having potentially two years of eligibility remaining (including a medical redshirt), Winston Jr. made the calculated gamble to declare for the NFL Draft. Standing at 6'2" and weighing 205 pounds, he brings prototypical size and length to the position, though questions about his limited starting experience and medical status loom large over an otherwise intriguing prospect profile.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite run defender with uncanny ability to diagnose and attack run plays; showcases rare instincts when playing downhill that separate him from peers.
- Plays with controlled violence that creates highlight-reel collisions; brings the kind of thump that makes skill players aware of his presence on every snap.
- Possesses exceptional closing burst that turns angles into straight lines; erases ground between backfield and tackle point with frightening acceleration.
- Shows excellent block deconstruction at point of attack; uses length to create separation before shedding and finding the football with natural efficiency.
- Tackling technique borders on textbook; combines wrap-up fundamentals with explosive finishing power rarely found in secondary players.
- Length and frame create ridiculous tackle radius; can corral backs and receivers even when seemingly beaten by initial move or play design.
- Displays quality zone instincts when keeping everything in front; most comfortable patrolling intermediate areas where he can read and react downhill.
- Brings a physical enforcer mentality when covering tight ends; uses hands effectively to disrupt routes and timing at line of scrimmage.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Man coverage skills lag behind run defense ability; struggles to maintain hip fluidity when matching routes vertically from press alignment.
- High-cut frame creates tightness in transitions; labors to flip hips and accelerate when forced to cover ground quickly from deep alignments.
- Ball production doesn't match physical tools; lacks anticipatory instincts to jump routes and create turnover opportunities in zone coverage.
- Can be manipulated by quarterback's eyes and play-action; takes false steps that compromise leverage against more sophisticated passing attacks.
- Medical evaluation critical after partial ACL tear limited 2024 exposure; minimal starting experience (13 games) raises questions about NFL readiness.
Scouting Report: Summary
Winston Jr. is that rare safety who transcends scheme with his run defense and tackling acumen while showing enough versatility to carve out an early role. Let's not sugarcoat it – the film jumps off the screen when he's attacking downhill. The Penn State product diagnoses run plays with veteran-like instincts and arrives with bad intentions that make skill position players keep their head on a swivel. His closing burst turns potential first downs into highlight-reel stops that change momentum.Teams running heavy Cover-1 or Cover-3 concepts will covet his ability to slide into the box and erase crossing routes over the middle while providing plus run support. While his overall rank (104) suggests mid-round value, smart defensive coordinators will recognize a day-one starter in sub-packages who can match up against tight ends and be deployed as a missile against the run. His medical evaluation remains the wildcard, but I've seen players with similar injury profiles bounce back stronger when given appropriate recovery time.
The ceiling here depends entirely on his development in coverage concepts. If Winston Jr. can clean up his zone spacing and improve his transitions from deep alignments, we're looking at a potential eight-year starter who brings rare physicality to the back end. The Penn State pedigree shows in his Football IQ and the way he processes information in the run game. While he may never be the guy you want isolated in deep zones, his elite run stopping ability and enforcer mentality will make him a defensive cornerstone for teams that understand how to maximize his strengths while masking his limitations.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
Kevin Winston Jr. percentiles vs other Safetys (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Kevin Winston Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
76.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
19.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.