Michael Conroy/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. Skol is a phrase Minnesota Vikings fans have grown familiar with. Wisconsin won 38-17. 45 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. By: Jack White, Vikings Wire. Right at your fingertips. Winfield Jr. isn't headed to the NFL because of his last name, of course. Charlie Neibergall/Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. "After the bowl game that's when I made my decision. Minnesota won 52-10. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these TERMS OF USE and UPDATED PRIVACY POLICY. All through college I battled with some injuries. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected safety Antoine Winfield Jr. with the No. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP), Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. poses for a portrait during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Minneapolis. Help | Viewer Feedback | Press | Advertise With Us | Jobs | FOX Cincy | RSS | Site Map All rights reserved VIKINGS is a registered trademark of the Minnesota Vikings LLC. Winfield Jr. was a distinguished student at Minnesota and surely could have pursued other careers. However, Winfield Jr. tallied three sacks and seven interceptions in 2019. "[He has] a ton of information," said Winfield Jr. "Like I said, he started me off young. Minnesota won 40-17. "It helped in every way possible," said Winfield Jr. "Growing up I would watch him do things and play football. But he had an NFL dream and he stuck with it even as injuries interrupted his development in 2017 and 2018. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) prior to an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Minneapolis. Plenty of sons of NFL players end up in other vocations. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. We were in the backyard doing footwork drills when I was probably five or six years old. Sarah Stier/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. antoine winfield jr. Has there been a better rookie start to a previous Bucs player, ever? Do Not Sell my Personal Info. How going digital impacted the Bucs' draft and what the setup looked like for various members of the Bucs' front office. He was an unanimous All-America selection. Inside access. Winfield's last game for the University of Minnesota was an Outback Bowl win over Auburn at Raymond James Stadium. Andy Clayton-King/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. I didn't know that was going to be my last game," said the younger Winfield of the Outback Bowl. This site is neither endorsed, nor sponsored by, nor affiliated with Minnesota Vikings or NFL Properties LLC. New Bucs S Antoine Winfield, Jr. overcame several injuries in college to emerge as an All-American at Minnesota in 2019 and follow in his father's footsteps in the NFL (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) intercepts the ball intended for Penn State wide receiver Justin Shorter (6) during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) during an NCAA college football game against Maryland, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Indianapolis. I just decided to make my decision after the bowl game. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. looks on during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Indianapolis. Get to know a few things about the four players selected by the Bucs on Day Three of the 2020 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) and defensive back Jordan Howden (23) celebrate after Winfield intercepts the ball for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Rutgers Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Sarah Stier), Minnesota defensive lineman Tai'yon Devers (12), defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo (9), and defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) tackle Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton (18) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Sarah Stier), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) runs with the ball past Maryland offensive lineman Sean Christie (70) during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Minneapolis. Provost Karen Hanson heard the appeals and upheld the decision to remove one-year suspensions for Winfield, running back Kobe McCrary and quarterback Mark Williams, attorney Ryan Pacyga said Monday, March 20, 2017. On Friday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – who are the primary tenants of that particular stadium featuring a pirate ship in the end zone – selected Winfield with the 45th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. "It means everything," said Winfield of his selection by the Bucs after some trying times in college. I'm just blessed and excited to join the Bucs.". Antoine Winfield Jr. dealt with a fair share of injuries before the 2019 season. There are a lot of different projections about what round Winfield Jr. might go in, but he should have a solid NFL career. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton- King), Purdue running back Zander Horvath (40) runs in for a touchdown in front of Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (Todd Rosenberg via AP), "You know what? He has shown that he can be dependable when he plays. All rights reserved. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) against South Dakota State during an NCAA college football game Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) celebrates with teammates Jordan Howden (23) and Braelen Oliver (14) after breaking up a play during an NCAA college football game against South Dakota State, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 34-7. If he falls, he’d be extremely difficult to pass on at 49 with the lack of depth at safety. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He started me off at an early age, so I feel like that just helped me and developed me faster than the other kids at my time.". (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King), Miami (Ohio) running back Davion Johnson, middle, rushes between Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) and Minnesota defensive back Antonio Shenault in the first half of an NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Minneapolis. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. He's always been somebody I can go to with football and any questions I need – he has 14 years of NFL experience. Latest on Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN All rights reserved. Winfield Jr.’s draft stock would probably be higher, but some consider him undersized with a history of injuries. He pretty much has a whole bunch of information stored in his head about football. Minnesota won 31-26. The Bucs started their 2020 draft Thursday night with the selection of big and nimble Iowa blocker Tristan Wirfs with the 13th pick, addressing offensive tackle in the first round for the first time in 19 years, Tampa Bay's second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is Minnesota S Antoine Winfield, Jr., who tied a school record with seven interceptions in 2019 and was responsible for big plays all over the field, Third-round pick Ke'Shawn Vaughn, a hard-nosed and versatile running back out of Auburn, joins a Buccaneers offense that has an impressive array of weapons, Tampa Bay's first pick in Day Three of the 2020 Draft is Minnesota WR Tyler Johnson, a highly-productive collegian who the Bucs feel can have a productive, versatile role in their already loaded offense, Tampa Bay's second defender in the 2020 draft is Nebraska DT Khalil Davis, a quick and athletic big man who gives the Buccaneers' talented defensive front more depth. He returned in 2019 to put together a dream season for the best Minnesota team in decades and now he's right where he wanted to be. Winfield had a year of eligibility left after Minnesota upended the Tigers on New Year's Day, but he eventually decided to head to the NFL, where he is following in the footsteps of his father, Antoine Winfield, Sr., a 14-year standout as a cornerback. Depending upon what the NFL schedule-makers decide in the next couple weeks, and how quickly things get back to normal, Antoine Winfield Jr. could make a very unusual transition from college to the pro ranks. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) on field against Penn State during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Minneapolis. I didn't really think about coming out this year until after.". "I've dreamed about this moment ever since I was a little kid watching my dad play. Bruce Kluckhohn/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik), In this Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, photo, Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) plays during an NCAA college football game against Purdue, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs, File), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Winfield Sr.'s nine years with the Vikings obviously contributed to his son ending up at the University of Minnesota, but his influence also is a big reason why this is now a two-generation NFL family. Tampa Bay's timing in the 2020 NFL Draft worked out well as they were able to get in early on a second run on wide receivers and grab a player that Bruce Arians had been coveting for months, All seven of the Buccaneers' 2020 draft picks have selected their NFL jersey numbers, and many of them have a chance to become the most prominent players in those numbers in team annals, The Buccaneers have raised expectations with a series of dramatic offseason moves, and the 2020 draft helped them fill some specific needs on what looks like a playoff-caliber roster. That means his first pro game could be on the exact same turf that saw his last moments as a star for the Golden Gophers. It was tough going through those, but at the end of the day I just kept working hard, putting my head down. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP), Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. participates in a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Indianapolis. FS1 | FOX | FOX News | Fox Corporation | FOX Sports Supports | FOX Deportes, ™ and © 2020 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Stacy Bengs/Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. (AP Photo/AJ Mast), Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. poses for a portrait during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2020 in Indianapolis. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nebraska running back Mikale Wilbon (21) is tackled by Minnesota defensive back KiAnte Hardin (3) and defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016. (Todd Rosenberg via AP), Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. poses on set for the NFL network film crew during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 in Indianapolis. With the first of their seventh-round picks, the Bucs selected inside linebacker Chapelle Russell out of Temple. See Antoine Winfield Jr. © TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS.