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. Looking forward, Winters projects as the heir apparent for Dre Greenlaw next to Fred Warner in the 49ers linebacking unit. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has had success in making shorter athletic linebackers work in his WILL position such as Quincy Williams, and Winters is next in line. 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.