Shooter: Antoine Winfield Jr. "is expected to declare himself eligible for April’s draft."

[MplsGopher]

Round 6 seems low. If that is truly in the right ballpark, you could see him come back. 6 rounders don't always even make the team.

Not right away, no. But you can get picked up on a practice squad, keep training, never know, by mid-late season you could get the callup, after inevitable injuries strike.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

It didn't do Maxx Williams much good to go pro as a sophomore - he didn't play much and missed out on a unanimous All-America season and winning the McKay Award, which might have improved his draft chances. Winfield could be an All-American and win the Thorpe Award next year - he should stick around and become a legend. Besides, his teammates need him.

Maxx might argue that his stock never was going to be higher. The NFL doesn't really care about the post season awards. Maxx just rolled off a great season, he was considered young for being drafted (a big plus during the draft), he was fully healthy and was drafted in the second round.

Maxx was great, but he did not have the physical profile of a TE drafted in the first round (those guys are usually absolute freak athletes). I am not sure if Maxx ever would have been drafted higher. He certainly would not have been drafted higher if he had any sort of injury the next season.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I would agree that the 6th round seems low, but with whatever grade he ends up with it would seem that the limiting factors are things like size, injury history, speed, etc. that he's unlikely to be able to improve by coming back. Maybe if they identify some major technique flaws in his game it would make sense to come back to work on those, but his strengths in my view are his football intelligence, work ethic, tackling and his overall knack to be a play maker. There doesn't need to be any more evidence of that. And if he gets hurt for the third time in four years, he might not drafted at all.

Winfield could improve one of his limiting factors - durability. If he came back and stayed healthy, that would improve his draft stock. If he came back and had injury issues, that would torpedo his stock.

If he comes back, remains healthy, and puts up gaudy numbers again - I think his stock improves. I think he goes from "he's a really good undersized football player" to being talked about similarly to Honey Badger.

 

[PitinoFan]

It’s way too early to be taking mock drafts seriously. I highly doubt he’s a 6th round pick. Until recently, he wasn’t even on the radar for a lot of people. Let the process play out.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Winfield could improve one of his limiting factors - durability. If he came back and stayed healthy, that would improve his draft stock. If he came back and had injury issues, that would torpedo his stock.

If he comes back, remains healthy, and puts up gaudy numbers again - I think his stock improves. I think he goes from "he's a really good undersized football player" to being talked about similarly to Honey Badger.

I think that's true if he really is graded out at a 6th rounder, but if he gets a 2nd or 3rd round grade, I don't think he could move up much more than that and, as you say, the risk of an injury would be too much for me to chance if I was in his spot.

 

[MplsGopher]

Well yeah, if he got a 2nd round appraisal, of course you would go.

Is there any chance for that??

 

[MNVCGUY]

Winfield could improve one of his limiting factors - durability. If he came back and stayed healthy, that would improve his draft stock. If he came back and had injury issues, that would torpedo his stock.

If he comes back, remains healthy, and puts up gaudy numbers again - I think his stock improves. I think he goes from "he's a really good undersized football player" to being talked about similarly to Honey Badger.

Yeah, if the 6th round projection turns out to be accurate he would probably be best served to come back and try and repeat this past season.

If dad was smart with his money at all during his NFL career I don't think Jr. will feel like he needs to lunge at a paycheck the first chance he gets necessarily. Come back and play for another year with his brother, hopefully have a special season on the field again and go pro after that.

Will be interesting to see what he decides to do.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I think that's true if he really is graded out at a 6th rounder, but if he gets a 2nd or 3rd round grade, I don't think he could move up much more than that and, as you say, the risk of an injury would be too much for me to chance if I was in his spot.

Yeah, absolutely. If the grade is 2nd round - he should go.

 

[stocker08]

CBS Sports did a way to early 7 round mock draft. They had Winfield going in round 6 at pick 207. If that is truly the kind of read he is getting draft wise it may well be in his best interest to come back for another year of college to improve his stock. Because as a 6th rounder the guaranteed money wouldn't be all that much.

Just one take of course but here is where they had our guys going:
TJ - 3rd Round - 78 overall
Kamal - 6th Round - 184 overall
Winfield - 6th Round - 207 overall
Coughlin - 7th Round - 249 overall

2020 NFL Seven-Round Mock Draft: Patriots, Raiders, Chargers take QBs on Day 2; Steelers start with RB

See who could come off the board in April in our way-too-early seven-round mock draft

www.cbssports.com

All of those seem awfully low.

 

[Maverick]

Winfield would improve his draft stock dramatically by being the best defensive player on the B1G champion Minnesota Gopher team..... kinda like that DE on tOSU team.....what's his name again???

 

[Dano564]

I don't know what the cutoff is for "smart to go pro" vs "bad idea to go pro" is for a underclassman.

Top 3 rounders generally make teams. Round 4-7 you can get cut or perhaps end up on practice squad purgatory.

I have no idea where he would get picked.

 

[John Galt]

Winfield doesn’t have the size and frame for what NFL scouts expect in a top safety prospect. For that reason he’ll never be a 1st or 2nd round prospect despite his production.