He followed in his father’s footsteps as a defensive back, now Minnesota Golden Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will follow his path to the NFL after declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Winfield Jr., the son of legendary Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield, announced on Instagram that he will forego another season with the Golden Gophers and is declaring for the upcoming NFL Draft.
A finalist for the Bronco Nagurski as a redshirt sophomore, Winfield Jr. earned first-team All-American honors this season after hauling in seven interceptions with three sacks and two forced fumbles.
He came up huge in Minnesota’s upset win over Penn State during the regular season, recording two first-half interceptions and showing off his playmaking ability.
Winfield Jr. is considered to be one of the best safety prospects in the 2020 draft class and could hear his name called early. While he’s not currently projected as a first-round pick in the latest mock draft, a strong showing throughout the pre-draft process can change that.
He’ll have big shoes to fill in the NFL, given his father was a three-time Pro Bowl corner, Winfield Jr. has shown he has the talent to continue his family’s legacy at the highest level.