Dee Winters

Summary

Dee Winters was selected in Round 6 (#173 Overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Texas Christian University. A multi-year contributor for the Horned Frogs, Winters was a key defensive piece on TCU’s 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship runner-up team. During his collegiate career, he totaled 190+ tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 6 passes defended, showcasing versatility as a coverage linebacker, blitzer, and run defender. He earned Second-Team All-Big 12 honors (2022) and was known for his range, instincts, and competitiveness in high-leverage games. Since entering the NFL, Winters has carved out a role primarily on special teams and as a rotational linebacker, appearing in 30+ games through the 2024 season. While his defensive snaps have been limited behind an elite linebacker group, he has flashed speed and playmaking ability when given opportunities. A Fred Warner disciple, Winters is regarded as a high-character, energetic, team-first player, praised for his preparation habits, coachability, and willingness to contribute wherever needed.

Strengths

• Sideline-to-Sideline Speed: Displays excellent range and pursuit ability and can chase plays down from the backside. Plays with high energy and urgency and consistently places himself around the football.

• Coverage Ability: Comfortable dropping into zone coverage and matching running backs and tight ends underneath. Reads play flow quickly and reacts decisively when unblocked and is rarely out of position mentally.

• Blitz Potential: Effective timing and burst when used as a pressure player, flashing closing speed on the quarterback.

• Special Teams Value: Speed, tackling ability, and discipline translate well to coverage units.

Weaknesses

• Size & Play Strength: With a 1.77 Measurables score, Winters is vastly undersized for a traditional off-ball linebacker and can struggle taking on blocks from linemen.

• Block Shedding: Lacks consistent ability to stack and shed at the point of attack, causing him to be best suited for space and pursuit; not ideal as a full-time downhill thumper.

• Anchor vs. Power Runs: Can be displaced in downhill run schemes when engaged directly.

• Durability Concerns: Slender frame raises long-term wear-and-tear considerations.

Outlook

Winters is best suited for modern, speed-based defensive schemes that emphasize coverage, pursuit, and sub-package versatility. He fits particularly well as a weak-side linebacker (WILL) or nickel defender, where his athleticism and instincts can be maximized without consistently taking on interior blockers. In zone-heavy systems, Winters’ ability to read the quarterback and close quickly on underneath routes provides added value. If he continues to improve his functional strength and block-destruction technique, he has the potential to grow into a reliable rotational linebacker and sub-package coverage option. While his ceiling may be limited by size, his speed, intelligence, and effort give him a strong chance to maintain a role on competitive rosters and contribute meaningfully in space-oriented defensive packages.