Is Antoine Winfield Jr. worth the Carolina Panthers’ second round pick?

What would Winfield Jr. bring to the Panthers?

There is a lot to like about Antoine Winfield Jr.’s ability to make a successful transition to the NFL from day one. He has an extremely high football IQ and possesses the right sort of instincts that teams are looking for at the safety spot.

What he lacks in overall athleticism, Winfield Jr. more than makes up for with tenacity and aggression. The player has no trouble stepping up and supporting the run game and is capable of covering tight ends over the middle when required.

Where Winfield Jr. does need some work is covering speedy receivers in deep situations. He does tend to get left flat-footed on occasions and this is something that the Carolina Panthers will be wary of in the pass-happy NFC South.

Winfield Jr. has good instincts and is very fluid on the field. There are little wasted movements in his game and he has a good knack for being around the ball ready to pounce.

The Panthers are expected to focus heavily on defense in the Draft after spending big in free agency on the offensive side of the ball. Their defensive line needs substantial reinforcements and the secondary also needs something different to cope with the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead.

Winfield Jr. would be a good addition to the Carolina secondary. But whether the franchise is going to risk taking him with the 38th overall selection is questionable. However, there is the possibility he might not even be around by then if a team has fallen in love with his skill set during the evaluation process.

Taking a cornerback or defensive lineman with their second-round pick might be more prudent, depending which way the Panthers go with their No.7 selection.