The New Orleans Saints lessened their need at the safety position by signing free agent Justin Reid, but only to a limited extent. Reid, paired with Tyrann Mathieu, forms a strong duo in the secondary. Still, with Mathieu now 33 and struggling with tackling, and limited depth behind them, safety remains a concern. Ugo Amadi, who was re-signed, is solid in the slot but lacks range. J.T. Gray mainly contributes on special teams, and Jordan Howden hasn’t developed as expected. While Reid’s addition may reduce the pressure to draft a safety early, the Saints would still benefit from selecting one in the mid-to-late rounds. Penn State offers two promising safety prospects in this year’s draft, including Kevin Winston Jr.
Kevin Winston Jr., a safety for the Penn State Nittany Lions, made a key tackle on Illinois running back Josh McCray and showed promise throughout his college career. After appearing in 12 games as a backup in 2022, he earned a starting role in 2023 and led the team in tackles. That season, he also recorded an interception, five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and four tackles for loss. Unfortunately, an ACL injury limited his 2024-25 season to just three games.
Standing 6’2″ and weighing 215 pounds, Winston is a physically impressive defensive back capable of playing in both coverage and run-support roles. However, his limited experience and recent injury raise concerns for NFL scouts. While he’s clearly athletic, Winston lacks the natural instincts for coverage. His man-to-man skills suffer due to limited change-of-direction ability, and he needs to significantly improve his awareness in zone coverage. He also doesn’t show the range necessary to consistently play in single-high safety schemes. Play fakes and misdirection can throw him off in both pass defense and run support, pointing to a need for better route recognition and discipline.
