Titans take Winston in Round 3 to bolster secondary

The Tennessee Titans selected Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr. in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 82nd overall.

He's the Titans' second pick on defense Friday after edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo. Tennessee kicked off the draft Thursday by taking quarterback Cam Ward first overall.

Winston sustained a torn ACL in September but enjoyed a career year at Penn State in 2023.

Pre-draft profile

Winston is the best run-defending safety in this class. He is a physical, downhill presence who takes good angles to the ball, shows an ability to navigate traffic, and finishes as well as any defensive back. He missed only two tackles during his college career and none in 2023, his only full season as a starter, according to PFF. Winston is also an effective cover man in underneath zones, and he's got the movement skills to match tight ends in man-to-man assignments. He's not yet as productive in the deep zones, lacking the instincts to make timely breaks on the ball. It seems possible that he could have made progress in that area if a knee injury hadn't ended his 2024 season after just three games. Winston could be a standout box safety who makes a major impact from Day 1. He's got potential for more as long as he has the chance to get his development back on track.