Former Woodlands Highlander Antoine Winfield Jr drafted by Buccaneers

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Antoine Winfield Jr, former The Woodlands Highlanders playmaker and son of former Bills and Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr, was selected 45th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The five foot nine, 203-pound safety out of the University of Minnesota will be bringing versatility and great ball-hawking abilities into a likely starting role in the Tampa Bay secondary. As a senior at Minnesota, Winfield racked up a team-leading 88 tackles and seven interceptions on his way to first-team All-American and All-Big Ten selections.

Before he was making game-changing plays for the Gophers, Winfield Jr was leading The Woodlands Highlanders secondary and special teams as a return man. Winfield Jr. led The Woodlands with 113 tackles and created four turnovers in his senior year. In the return game, Winfield Jr repeatedly damaged opponents, including a 90+ yard kickoff return touchdown.

Winfield Jr. is the fourth player drafted out of The Woodlands High School, and the first since running back Daniel Lasco was drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.