Penn State safety K.J. Winston declares for NFL draft; clarity added about season-ending injury
Penn State star safety K.J. Winston’s college career has come to an end. The Nittany Lion declared for the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday morning, according to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter.
Schefter posted a graphic on Twitter with Winston’s exclusive Penn State goodbye.
“This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I’m ready to embrace this next challenge with the same dedication and heart that got me to this point,” Winston said in the statement.
Winston has barely played this season after suffering an injury early on. He starred in the team’s opening game against West Virginia before struggling against Bowling Green. Schefter provided more clarity on Winston’s injury, noting that he suffered a partially torn ACL during a practice after the WVU game. He added that the safety is on pace to be cleared for on-field drills by March 1.
Penn State head coach James Franklin previously said Winston had a long-term injury and said Sunday that he would not be back for a College Football Playoff run.
The Penn State safety broke out in 2023 when he started in all 13 games the team played, tallying 60 tackles to lead the team while adding five pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
He was expected to be one of the best safeties in the country this season prior to suffering the injury. He had two years of eligibility remaining.
Winston is still widely projected to be one of the top safeties off the board in this coming draft.
This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 12:07 PM.
