Leading tackler Winston Jr. ‘locked in’ for Nittany Lions

PennLive.com via Trib Total Media

As the game continues to slow down for Kevin Winston Jr., it is fair to wonder how much better the Penn State safety can get in his second year as a starter.

Year 1 was impressive. Now a third-year junior, Winston led the Nittany Lions in tackles with 61 (34 solos), and his final four games were his most productive.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound DeMatha Catholic graduate piled up 32 tackles in the Lions’ contests against Michigan, Rutgers, Michigan State and Ole Miss. Winston also intercepted a pass and broke up four others.

“I wouldn’t say I feel different, it’s always the same approach,” Winston said last Thursday after a Penn State practice. “But I feel a lot more comfortable, with the experience under my belt, things are coming a lot slower and moving a lot slower. I’m seeing things a different way now.

“It allows you to play faster and see things faster than a lot of people would. You see certain plays that before, I wouldn’t have made and I’m making now.”

Penn State coach James Franklin believes Winston, viewed as one of the top safety prospects available in the 2025 NFL draft, has made a substantial leap as a player this offseason.

“He’s a man, he really is,” Franklin said of Winston. “He’s so mature, he really knows how to practice, how to prepare. He’s totally locked in, totally focused. Football is really important to him.

“I don’t have enough adjectives for him. You look at him, physically, he’s beautiful. He’s got a great relationship with the coaches. He’s kind of an extension of the coaching staff, I could go on and on and on.”

Winston and Jaylen Reed are returning starters at safety and another safety, fourthyear Lion Zakee Wheatley, is viewed as a starter in the Lions’ five-DB package.

“I think we’re all just natural, smart athletes on the field and we work off each other in a great way,” Winston said when asked about his on-field chemistry with Reed and Wheatley.

“We get on the field, we’re talking to each other like we’re sitting at dinner. … Sometimes you get out there with people you don’t really know as well, the communication isn’t there.”

The physicality Winston brings to the safety position was on display down the home stretch of 2023 and he is working to become more effective in coverage.

“I feel like there’s so much to improve in my game,” Winston said. “When I talk about stuff I really want to do a lot more of, it’s being way better in man coverage.

“I wasn’t bad, but I want to be even better. I always say I want to be able to play dudes like I’m a corner. Just getting some turnovers out there, making plays on the ball, that starts in practice.”