";s:4:"text";s:5521:" This story was originally published April 9, 2020.) It's not too different than what happened last year when the run on the corners started and we took Sean. His father's years with the Vikings obviously influenced where he ended up in college, and he was a key figure in turning around a program that had struggled for some time.Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. My mindset was that if I stay healthy, I was going to ball. And you have to know it in practice, not just games. Guys who create turnovers. Anyone who has played defense at all knows that it's tough to teach their eyes to move from one to the other. "His preparation unlocked what are undeniably innate abilities," Minnesota's Rossi said. "I think he has that 'it' factor. The Buccaneers selected Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. with the No. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay BuccaneersAll seven of the Buccaneers' 2020 draft picks have selected their NFL jersey numbers, and many of them have a chance to become the most prominent players in those numbers in team annals
(Editor's note: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Winfield in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. More than anything, though, Winfield Sr. and Jr. would talk offense and study tape. He intercepted Tom Brady back in 2001, Brady's first season as New England's starting quarterback. After the fact, he was like, 'Mom, thank you for coming to get me.
(AP Photo/John Autey)Purdue running back Zander Horvath (40) runs in for a touchdown in front of Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (Todd Rosenberg via AP)Minnesota defensive players Antoine Winfield Jr. (11), Kamal Martin (21) and Steven Richardson (96) run off the field after blocking Buffalo from a first down during an NCAA college football game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Minneapolis. "I mean, he got there with time to spare. Ultimately, a leak of the school's internal report to a local media outlet provided details. It showed a lot. It came right out of the gate today with McKinney and Dugger and then Delpit goes right before us and we take Winfield. The more guys you can add back there who play the game the right way to a young group of guys who all love to play, the better. (Todd Rosenberg via AP)Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. against Middle Tennessee in the first half of a NCAA football game Saturday September 16, 2017, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)The 5-10, 205-pound Winfield played four seasons at Minnesota, though his 2017 and 2018 campaigns were cut short by injury. "It just shows you who they are.
More broadly, teams will have to decide whether to apply a long-held scouting maxim -- college players who struggle to stay on the field can experience similar issues in the NFL -- or if they consider Winfield's injuries a fluke. Is adept all deep coverage, short area coverage, run defense and blitzing.Your email address will not be published. If you make it a habit in practice, you'll do it in a game, and that's how you get on the map. "He understands splits, tips, checks and all the things that go into playing at a high level. (0:39)"High school football down there was a whole different world," Winfield Jr. said.Those lost years will be a crucial part of Winfield Jr.'s final draft evaluation. Gets to the play quickly, and along with read and react skills brought upon by preparation, has the acceleration and sound tackling skills to get to the play. Winfield Sr. proved the exception, however, and his path is instructive for a son whose own height is likely to be rounded up to 5-foot-10 on his NFL roster. "Safety is the toughest position to evaluate, at least in my opinion," McShay said. His 2018 season also ended after four games because of a more serious Lisfranc fracture in his foot.According to attorney Ryan Pacyga, who was hired by the Winfield family, Winfield Jr. had been hosting a recruit that evening. He had a big game against Penn State.