The Carolina Panthers have a major gap at free safety. It seems they are looking to the 2025 NFL Draft to address it.
What I found interesting is the number of box safeties the Panthers have met with throughout the pre-draft process. Dan Morgan mentioned the versatility of Tre’von Moehrig and even the possibility of him playing a lot of nickel cornerback in their scheme. That makes finding another productive backend presence crucial.
Carolina's defense is devoid of talent and difference-makers, so Morgan needs to hit on draft picks on Day 2 and later. Similarly to how they found a diamond in the rough — Jalen Coker — in undrafted free agency last year, the Panthers need to grab guys who slip through the cracks and impact the game.
Kevin Winston Jr. could be the next late-round steal. After partially tearing his ACL in the second game of the year, the draft community seemingly has forgotten how good the defensive back was in 2023.
Kevin Winston Jr. Scouting Report
Notes
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Weight: 215 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds
- Recruitment: 4-star high school
Positives
- Closing speed
- Best tackler in the draft
- Extra linebacker against the run
- Good in coverage when working downhill
- Tight end eraser
Winston is amazing as a tackler. He has great form, rarely takes bad angles, and lays down the hammer more than a carpenter when the opportunity is there.
When watching the tape, I did not see him miss one tackle. Winston maneuvered around blockers with ease, sometimes not even allowing blockers to touch him. He runs the alley better than anyone in this class, often not allowing big plays to spring off once runners see daylight.
It's a mixed bag in coverage, but I do like the upside Winston shows in this discipline. I can understand why fans of him compare him to a Derwin James type player. Standing 6-foot-1 with almost 33-inch arms, he is a tall, long, and strong player who can be used in matchups against the top tight ends.
With his ability to attach and close space, Winston will be a valuable weapon in hooks, off-man coverage, and curl flat zones. At worst, he can be a serviceable deep safety if needed, but the Penn State prospect is best coming forward and closer to the line of scrimmage as a coverage player.
Negatives
- Injury Concerns
- Bites on play-action
- Vulnerable in man coverage
- Not productive in pass defense
The major issue you have to address is his injury. Winston will be almost a year removed from a torn ACL by the time Week 1 rolls around, but I completely understand it hurting his draft stock after watching what happened to Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks last year.
Winston came out and ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, which is a great sign. Especially considering the complication only happened six months ago.
There was not much seen in deep coverage for Winston. He is not a liability, but he is not making plays on the ball. There was one rare interception in his career and not many pass breakups.
He is stable enough. But if you want a playmaker in the passing game who gives your offense the ball back, it's not him.
Winston also can be hesitant in man coverage, allowing guys to get a step on him. He made up for it with his amazing recovery speed for most plays, but that won't be enough in the NFL.
Kevin Winston Jr. NFL Player Comparison: Jamal Adams
I love this comparison because of the fog of war element of Winston's game when it comes to his coverage ability.
It may seem hard to believe, but Jamal Adams was not always a major liability in coverage. He had some versatility playing deep at times but was at his best covering the slot and tight ends. I see that same ability with Winston on his 2023 tape, but I can also see it being a negative.
We all know what Adams was and still is against the run. Working as your third or fourth linebacker, both of these guys lift the floor with sound tackling, great angles, and bone-crushing hits. If you can get Winston in the third round or later at the very least, you'll have one of the best run-defending safeties in the league on a rookie contract.
That alone would make him steal if you don't get much out of him in coverage. There is optimism attached to Winston, but the injury red flags cannot be ignored.