Penn State Football

Penn State Star Declares For NFL Draft

Published

December 12, 2024

Penn State won’t have K.J. Winston back this season.

Penn State's Kevin Winston Jr. was ruled out indefinitely with a long-term injury earlier this week.

One of Penn State football’s best players has declared for the NFL Draft.

Late Thursday morning, Kevin Winston Jr., a safety who was supposed to be one of Penn State’s best players this season but missed almost all of it due to injury, declared for the Draft as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Penn State captain and All Big-Ten safety Kevin Winston Jr. has declared for the NFL draft. Winston suffered a partially-torn ACL during a Week 2 practice that ended his season. Cowboys head team physician Dr. Dan Cooper performed surgery on Winston’s knee, and he is on pace to… pic.twitter.com/Wq52o5TsYx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 12, 2024

This news comes days after Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed that Winston would not return for the team’s College Football Playoff run.

Winston was supposed to be not just one of Penn State’s best players but one of the best defenders in college football in 2024. But his season amounted to just one full game.

STOLEN SEASON

Penn State would certainly be better off had KJ Winston not gotten injured.

MORGANTOWN, WV – AUGUST 31: West Virginia Mountaineers running back Jahiem White (1) is tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions safety Kevin Winston Jr. (2) during the college football game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the West Virginia Mountaineers on August 31, 2024 at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)

Winston got hurt during the team’s Week 2 game against Bowling Green Sept. 6 and couldn’t come back in 2024. This came after arguably the best game of Winston’s college career.

In Penn State’s 34-12 win Week 1 win at West Virginia, the junior defensive back from Columbia, Maryland, recorded 12 tackles and a forced fumble. Winston stripped WVU quarterback Garrett Greene on a QB scramble in the first quarter, but the Mountaineers recovered. A few plays later, Winston stopped Greene short of the sticks on 4th and 1 inside the 20 and forced a turnover on downs.

His 12 tackles tied a career-high set against Michigan last season but set a new career-best record with seven solo tackles. His strong tackling and physicality were on full display.

WHERE WILL HE FALL IN THE DRAFT?

The one bright spot to KJ Winston’s injury is that Penn State is more likely to have him back for 2025 than it would have been otherwise.

Graphic by Penn State athletics: KJ Winston

Even with Winston missing almost all of this season, he’s still the No. 3 safety on Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board. So there’s a good chance he has a big payday.

Penn State has its first College Football Playoff game scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 21 at noon against SMU on TNT.