Antoine Winfield Jr. – S (Minnesota)
This would be a reach that many Vikings fans, including myself, would be completely fine with. Antoine Winfield Jr. not only has the talent to have a long and successful NFL career, but he’s also the son of former Vikings great Antoine Winfield.
The young safety would immediately become one of the more popular players on the team while also being a great asset to the defense with his playmaking ability.
The reason Winfield would be a reach mostly has to do with his size. He’s just 5-foot-9, which is a good three inches shorter than the preferred height of an NFL safety. He has also suffered injuries to his hamstring and foot that kept him out of large portions of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Winfield did put together a full 2019 season, but these are the kinds of red flags that scare teams off as the draft quickly approaches.
Winfield makes up for his lack of size with his preparation and knowledge of the game. He’s been around the sport of football since he was a young kid and he has been studying it basically all of his life. This knowledge shows up on tape, as he’s often in the right place at the right time, making a huge interception or laying a big hit that forces a fumble.
There is no question Winfield is going to have a productive NFL career. A first-round pick, however, should check every box there is and unfortunately, he is missing a mark in the size and durability categories.