Penn State's Kevin Winston Jr. Emerging as College Football's Best-Kept Secret on Defense

Penn State saw significant turnover on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, including the departure of one of its most essential figures.

Former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had Penn State playing some of the best defense in college football last season, and his efforts earned him the head coaching job at Duke.

To fill the void, Penn State brought in former Indiana head coach Tom Allen. Fortunately for Allen, he inherited a defense stocked with talent, including standout players like EDGE Abdul Carter and safety Kevin Winston Jr., both returning for their junior seasons.

Carter is widely recognized as one of the top defensive players in the nation, but Kevin Winston Jr. — a name not as familiar to most — led the team in tackles last season and is quickly making a name for himself.

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Winston Jr. was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after Penn State’s impressive win over West Virginia in Week 1. The junior safety tallied 12 tackles, including seven solo, and forced a fumble in the victory.

National media have taken notice of Winston’s breakout performance.

Connor Rodgers from Pro Football Focus said on the NFL Stock Exchange podcast, “Winston is one of the best-kept secrets in the country. I don’t understand why he’s not treated like a star.”

While fans are familiar with names like Georgia’s Malaki Starks and Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, Winston deserves to be mentioned in the same conversation as one of the top safeties in college football.

Expect to hear Winston’s name often this season, making big play after big play. And come next April, you’ll likely hear it called in the first round of the NFL Draft.

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Daniel Fisher

Penn State Football Reporter at NittanyCentral

Fisher covers Penn State Football for NittanyCentral. In addition to his work for NittanyCentral, Fisher also writes for a few other sports outlets: Gridiron Heroics, where he covers college football and the NFL, and Stadium Rant, where he is a head editor and covers all major and college sports.

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