Trevon Diggs, Antoine Winfield Jr. have close ties to NFL
INDIANAPOLIS — Family ties were readily apparent during the Friday media session at the NFL scouting combine — the final day of player availability.
Former Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs is the brother of current Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who famously caught the “Minneapolis Miracle” pass from quarterback Case Keenum to defeat the Saints in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs.
“That happened to be my first NFL game I ever went to,” Trevon Diggs said Friday. “So I was just thankful to actually see that. I’d always seen that he had playmaking ability. But just to see him make that catch, it was amazing.”
Trevon Diggs said at that moment a lot of people around him in the home crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium were leaving, as the outcome assumed to be determined.
“So when that catch happened, everybody just went nuts,” Diggs said. “And everybody just stopped and started cheering.”
Diggs said he and his older brother are close. They’re separated by four years, and Trevon said he looks up to Stefon.
“I call him anytime I need anything,” Trevon Diggs said. “He doesn’t spoil me, he doesn’t babysit me, he doesn’t tell me what I want to hear. He keeps me hungry, keeps me humble while teaching me a lot about the game.”
Helped by All-Pro father
Former University of Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr.’s father was a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Vikings from 2004 to 2012 and played for the team for 14 seasons. His son said he had a lot of advantages as a kid who wanted to play football because of his father.
“At a young age, I was getting taught things that most kids weren’t even thinking about at the time,” Winfield said. “He’s out doing footwork, so I go out there with him, and I’m doing footwork at an early age, watching film at a young age and just doing everything that most kids wish that they had. And I don’t take it for granted at all.”
Winfield said he even notices some family resemblance in how he looks like his father when tackling.
“When I make a tackle, I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, I’ve seen my dad make the same tackle watching his highlights.’ And it’s just crazy to see the comparison between us, because we play pretty much the exact same,” Winfield said.
Winfield also said his father will often call him after games to break down what went right and wrong.
The best?
He’s admittedly a bit biased, but former Louisiana State safety Grant Delpit gave a ringing endorsement for the expected No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Joe Burrow.
“I saw the best quarterback every day, every week in practice. The obvious No. 1 pick in my choice,” Delpit said. “Joe is the best I’ve ever seen.”
Delpit said Burrow challenged the LSU defense every day, especially early in the season.
“We came into camp, and they were putting up crazy numbers, so it was either we were going to be really bad on defense or really good on offense,” Delpit said. “And he was putting up touchdown after touchdown in the scrimmages, so I’m glad it turned out the other way.”
Delpit is projected as one of the top safeties in the 2020 draft class after helping LSU win the national championship. But he will not participate in combine drills, as he’s recovering from a high ankle sprain that affected him throughout the season.
Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.