New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: LB Dee Winters

Let's take a look at another Day 3 prospect at linebacker.

Author:
Brandon Olsen
Publish date:
Apr 26, 2023 1:50 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

TCU Horned Frogs

Dee Winters, LB

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 227 lbs.
Class: Fourth-year Senior
School: TCU

Dee Winters was the 64th-ranked athlete in the country from Burton, Texas, for the 2019 recruiting cycle. Winters held offers from five Power Five schools but would ultimately commit to the TCU Horned Frogs.

Strengths

Four-year contributor, three-year starter at TCU
Despite his size, uses his body like a missile to explode into ball-carriers
Elite speed and quick burst when firing downhill
Knows how to operate in contain and force the run back to the middle
Comfortable operating as both a man and zone defender
Had to work as a blitzer in TCUs defense and did a good job of timing his rush and shooting the gap
Showed up when his team needed him most with great showings in the college football playoff, despite just being out-talented against Georgia
Leader of the TCU defense
Incredible range for a linebacker, could work as a middle linebacker that gets to just play chase from sideline-to-sideline

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Weaknesses

Way undersized, complete physical outlier
Is a little slow to diagnose the play
Bites too often on play-fakes
Struggles to deconstruct blocks once engaged
Allows blockers to get their hands on him too often, given his athleticism

Summary

Ideally, Winters eventually develops into a Deion Jones type of linebacker that can make plays despite being undersized. Whether or not he ever becomes that is yet to be seen, but with the defensive versatility Winters possesses and his ability to contribute on special teams, he’s worth a day-three flier.

GRADE: 5.9