New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: LB Dee Winters

Let's take a look at another Day 3 prospect at linebacker.

Dee Winters, LB

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 227 lbs.
Class: Fourth-year Senior
School: TCU

Dee Winters was the 64th-ranked athlete in the country from Burton, Texas, for the 2019 recruiting cycle. Winters held offers from five Power Five schools but would ultimately commit to the TCU Horned Frogs. 

Strengths

  • Four-year contributor, three-year starter at TCU
  • Despite his size, uses his body like a missile to explode into ball-carriers
  • Elite speed and quick burst when firing downhill
  • Knows how to operate in contain and force the run back to the middle
  • Comfortable operating as both a man and zone defender
  • Had to work as a blitzer in TCUs defense and did a good job of timing his rush and shooting the gap
  • Showed up when his team needed him most with great showings in the college football playoff, despite just being out-talented against Georgia
  • Leader of the TCU defense
  • Incredible range for a linebacker, could work as a middle linebacker that gets to just play chase from sideline-to-sideline


Weaknesses

  • Way undersized, complete physical outlier
  • Is a little slow to diagnose the play
  • Bites too often on play-fakes
  • Struggles to deconstruct blocks once engaged
  • Allows blockers to get their hands on him too often, given his athleticism

Summary

Ideally, Winters eventually develops into a Deion Jones type of linebacker that can make plays despite being undersized. Whether or not he ever becomes that is yet to be seen, but with the defensive versatility Winters possesses and his ability to contribute on special teams, he’s worth a day-three flier.

GRADE: 5.9

Draft Grade Scale
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Published
Brandon Olsen
BRANDON OLSEN

Brandon Olsen is the founder of Whole Nine Sports, specializing in NFL Draft coverage, and is the host of the Locked On Gators Podcast.