Kevin Winston Jr. Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of G Fiume/Getty Images)

School: Penn State

Class: Junior

Position: SAF

HT: 6’2

WT: 201 lbs

Background: Kevin Winston Jr. was a 4-star safety out of Columbia, Maryland. Winston was a top 10 player in Maryland and a top 40 player at his position for the class of 2022. Winston played for DeMatha High School in Maryland where he was both a team captain and team MVP. As a senior, Winston was an All-WCAC selection and was an honorable mention as a sophomore. Winston committed to Penn State over Michigan State, Maryland, and Notre Dame.

College: As a freshman at Penn State, Winston appeared in 12 games. He made 16 tackles in limited action for the Nittany Lions in 2022. Winston took on the starting safety role as a sophomore in 2023. He led the team in tackles with 60. He also had 2.5 TFLs, and interception, and 5 pass breakups. These numbers were good enough for All-Big 10 honorable mention. Winston was expected to be one of the best defenders in the country on a formidable defense with Abdul Carter. Unfortunately, Winston’s season ended after less than 2 games due to a season-ending injury. Despite the injury, he is still regarded as a top player in the class and will go through the pre-draft process.

Strengths: Kevin Winston Jr. can play all over the field because of the physicality that he brings to every play. He is an excellent tackler as a defensive back, which makes him the perfect safety to line up close to the box in dime packages. Winston has exceptional length that he uses as both a tackler and in coverage. Winston has a quick trigger to get downhill and make a tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage. He wraps up with proper technique on every tackle – very rarely letting the ball carrier out of his grasp. He is also used as a blitzer off the edge. He wins with speed to get to the quarterback but can also use his length functionally to free himself from blockers. In coverage, Winston uses his length to make plays on the football. He is a ball magnet and is a splash play waiting to happen. He reads the quarterback’s eyes well to get a tell on where the football is going and go make a play. He can also line up at the nickel to cover tight ends or receivers.

Weaknesses: The first thing to keep in mind is that Kevin Winston Jr. is coming off of a season-ending knee injury. He will take some time to get back to his normal self. Even when he is back, the injury concern is there. When battling at the line of scrimmage, Winston approaches blockers at an upright angle, allowing the already stronger linemen to win the leverage battle. Winston needs to do a better job of getting his head around in the deep areas of the field. He relies too heavily on the body language of the receiver.

Conclusion: Kevin Winston Jr. is a playmaker at safety. He can play either safety spot, but would be best in that STAR role, where he can move all over the field. It will take him some time to feel comfortable again on the field, but he will be a big-time contributor when he does.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: STAR

Best Team Fits: LAR, DEN, JAX

Player Comparison: Jalen Pitre

Player Grade: 90.3