Skip to main content
michigan logo

Bio Blast: Meet Top 100 Michigan safety signee Kainoa Winston

ECCrzGbXkAEmHxxby:EJ Holland•12/04/24•

EJHollandOn3

Recruiting Q&A - 2024-10-07T180951.907
EJ Holland/On3

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.”

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

You may also like