<
        >

          Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. entering NFL draft

          play
          Winfield returns pick-six for Minnesota (0:29)

          Antoine Winfield Jr. picks off Johnny Langan for the second time and goes 33 yards for a touchdown. (0:29)

          • ESPN
          Jan 8, 2020, 06:17 PM

          Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr., a redshirt sophomore, announced he will enter the NFL draft.

          He made the announcement Wednesday on Instagram.

          "I dreamed of playing in the league ever since I can remember. I looked up to my dad, and watched what he did and all he accomplished," Winfield wrote. "Seeing what he was able to do empowers me to say: It's my time."

          His father, Antoine Winfield, played for Ohio State and spent 14 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back.

          Winfield Jr. had 85 tackles this season with 7 interceptions and a touchdown.

          The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Winfield was a first-team All-American and won Big Ten defensive back of the year honors, beating out Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, a projected top-10 pick.

          ESPN's Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.