All-America redshirt sophomore defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. made it official, announcing that he will forgo his final two years of college eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL draft. Winfield becomes the first Gophers player to enter the draft early since tight end Maxx Williams left following the 2014 college football season, going on to be drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round.

While Winfield is leaving school with an official designation of being a redshirt sophomore, this season actually marked his fourth year playing for the maroon and gold. He debuted in 2016, playing in 12 games and starting 9. However, Winfield's following two seasons were marred by season-ending injuries ultimately leading to the NCAA granting him an injury waiver to receive an extra season of eligibility.

That extra eligibility ultimately wasn't necessary. This season, Winfield started all 13 games at safety and notched 85 total tackles. In addition, his 7 interceptions were tops in the Big Ten and the fourth best tally across all of college football, also bringing him into a tie with Jeff Wright (1970) for Minnesota's all-time single season interception record.

The season-long stellar play earned Winfield a slew of end-of-year awards, being named the Big Ten's Defensive Back of the Year and one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski award for college football's best defensive player. The defensive back also became the seventh Golden Gopher in history to be named a unanimous All-American, and, alongside Greg Eslinger in 2005, became only the second Minnesota player to earn such honors since 1962.

Winfield well outpaced his recruiting evaluation, where he was tabbed as a consensus low three star prospect who received an 82 grade from 247Sports, with offers from Missouri, Northwestern, Purdue, and others besides his Minnesota offer.

Winfield chose to make a return to state of Minnesota and play for the Gophers after beginning his high school career at Eden Prairie High School before moving south with his family and graduating from The Woodlands (TX) high school as a three star prospect, receiving an 82 grade from 247Sports.