Bio Blast: Meet Top 100 Michigan safety signee Kainoa Winston
Top 100 Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga safety Kainoa Winston officially signed with Michigan on Wednesday.
Here is everything you need to know about the talented defensive back.
The Skinny
Height: 5-10
Weight: 184
Senior Stats: Not available
Industry Ranking: No. 10 safety, No. 100 overall
Interesting Facts: Star track athlete who holds the Gonzaga school record in the 200-meter (21.58). Cousin of Penn State defensive back Kevin Winston. Former high school teammate of Michigan offensive tackle Evan Link.
Recruitment
Winston was considered a Penn State lean for the majority of the recruiting cycle. However, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore made him a top priority and reached out as soon as he took over for Jim Harbaugh. New secondary coach LaMar Morgan also played a significant role in winning over Winston. The DMV prospect made an official visit to U-M and gave a verbal pledge soon after.
He Said It
“I feel really good about my commitment to Michigan,. I like how it’s like Gonzaga — great education and hard-nosed football. Those are two things I live for. Those are two things Gonzaga is about, and those are two things Michigan is about.”
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Jackson Arnold
OU QB to enter transfer portal
- 2
Alabama flips LSU commit
Tide moves up the rankings
- 3New
Ben Herbstreit
POTUS sends heartfelt note
- 4
Lincoln Riley
USC coach talks job rumors
- 5Hot
Jahkeem Stewart
USC lands five-star DL
They Said It
“Kainoa is a joy to coach and to have in our football program and culture. He represents the program really well in every facet. He’s an outstanding student at a very challenging high school. He’s an A-plus player as well as far as how he performs. He’s an excellent defensive player and an outstanding special teams player. He can even do some things offensively. He’s an A-plus as a human being. He has a strong foundation with his mother and father.” — Gonzaga head coach Randy Trivers
Scouting Report
“Kainoa Winston is an athletic, instinctual safety prospect who is an outstanding football player overall. He plays as a deep safety at Gonzaga against really strong competition. I think the first thing that stands out is his play speed and physicality. He’s a really good open field tackler. He’s really like a little missile flying around. He plays fast, lowers his shoulder, throws his body around and has a well-rounded skillset at safety. He checks the boxes in terms of his play personality, his athleticism and his toughness. He shows the ability to make plays in coverage as a deep safety. He adds value on special teams. You see him block a ton of kicks his junior year.” — On3 Scouting Director Charles Power
