2020 NFL Draft: Broncos go defense in final first-round mock draft

20th Overall – Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota

Pick made by Andrew Wade – Contributor

This might be one of the more surprising picks of the draft especially with safeties Xavier McKinney and Jeremy Chinn still on the board, but as one of the many resident Big Ten fans at Predominantly Orange, I pay close attention to what goes on in the conference. And let me tell you, Antoine Winfield Jr is an absolute stud at the safety position.

If it were not for his significant injury concerns (two of his four seasons at Minnesota were cut short due to major injuries), I firmly believe he would be the number one safety on most NFL talent evaluators boards.

He is an explosive (4.45-second 40-yard dash and 124-inch broad jump) player who is always around the ball. In Minnesota’s upset versus Penn State, Winfield was undoubtedly the best player on the field in my opinion and drastically changed the outcome of the game. He led the Gophers in tackles with 11 and had 2 interceptions.

The first interception was with Penn State knocking on the door of Minnesota’s end zone and the second interception was the game-sealing interception to give Minnesota the upset.

And this isn’t by happenstance. The son of a former NFL corner Antoine Winfield, he learned how to study film at a young age and is known as a film room junkie. Last, but not least, this guy has top-notch character and the natural ability to lead and elevate teammates around him, which is something the Jaguars desperately need.