Penn State Football knows a thing or two about producing great defensive players, and this year, they have the best defensive player in EDGE, Abdul Carter.
Carter could be a Top-Five pick in next year’s NFL Draft, but Carter will need some help from his secondary this season to give him time to get after the opposing quarterback, and the Nittany Lions might have one of the best safeties in the country.
On Tuesday, John Owing from Pro Football Focus released an article titled Ten Safeties to Know Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, and Penn State star safety Kevin Winston Jr. was part of the ten-man list.
“Winston is as reliable as they come,” Owing writes for PFF. “The sophomore posted just a 2% missed-tackle rate last year, second among all safeties in the country. His 90.6 run-defense grade ranked third among FBS safeties as well.
Winston was far more than just a safety who excelled at stopping the run. In fact, he was the only safety in the nation who posted 85-plus grades as a run-defender and in coverage last year. His well-rounded game will likely evoke some comparisons to another great Penn State safety in Jaquan Brisker.”
Winston started all 13 games at safety last season as a true sophomore and had a team-high 60 tackles.
The Hyattsville, Maryland native was the 34th best safety in the 2022 class, according to 247sports.com, and now he can play himself into one of the best safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Why Kevin Winston Jr. is Vital to Penn State’s Success on Defense
If Penn State wants to become the number one team in the Big Ten, it must do so on defense. The team they will have to overcome is Ohio State, whom they play on November 2nd in Happy Valley.
The Buckeyes will want to run the ball with their running quarterback, Will Howard, and one of the best running back duos in the country, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. This could be perfect for the Penn State defense and Winston since he is one of the best safeties in college football at stopping the run. Last season, he had the third-highest PFF grade against the run for a safety.
It will be an exciting season for the Nittany Lions under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
Having a player like Winston to lead your secondary is excellent for any new coach in a new situation.
MORE: Preseason Big Ten Power Rankings
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