Top 100 Michigan DB signee Kainoa Winston named D.C.'s Gatorade Player of the Year

Top 100 Michigan safety signee Kainoa Winston has been named the District of Columbia’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Winston recorded 71 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. He also rushed for 225 yards and scored five total touchdowns on offense en route to leading Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga to a 7-4 record.

“Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The award distinguishes Winston as District of Columbia’s best high school football player, and he joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes such as Emmitt Smith (1986-87, Escambia High School, Fl.), Peyton Manning (1993-94, Isidore Newman School, La.) and DJ Lagway (2023-24, Willis High School, Texas),” Gatorade announced via a press release.

Ranked as the No. 10 safety and No. 100 overall prospect nationally, Winston gave Michigan a verbal commitment in June and signed with the Wolverines on Wednesday. He is set to be a regular enrollee at U-M.

Winston picked Michigan over fellow finalists North Carolina, Oregon and Penn State.

Michigan has 22 commits in its 2025 recruiting class — five-star Belleville (Mich.) High quarterback Bryce Underwood, five-star Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest offensive tackle Andrew Babalola, Top 100 Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick EDGE Nate Marshall, Top 100 Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale cornerback Shamari Earls, Top 100 Monroe (N.C.) High safety Jordan Young, Top 100 Katy (Texas) Jordan wide receiver Andrew Marsh, On300 Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga defensive back Kainoa Winston, On300 Alpharetta (Ga.) High EDGE Julius Holly, On300 Kilgore (Texas) High cornerback Jayden Sanders, On300 New Orleans (La.) Archbishop Shaw wide receiver Jacob Washington, On300 Newburgh (Ind.) Castle defensive lineman Benny Patterson, On300 New Orleans (La.) Archbishop Shaw running back Jasper Parker, four-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, four-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy running back Donovan Johnson, four-star Birmingham (Mich.) Groves offensive lineman Avery Gach, three-star Howell (Mich.) High defensive lineman Bobby Kanka, three-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, three-star Stockbridge (Ga.) High linebacker Chase Taylor, three-star Lake Worth (Fla.) Santaluces wide receiver Jamar Browder, three-star Louisville (Ky.) Fern Creek defensive lineman Travis Moten and three-star Alcoa (Tenn.) High tight end Eli Owens.

The class is ranked No. 9 nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten, per the On3 Industry national team recruiting rankings. The Wolverines currently sit behind Ohio State and Oregon.