Penn State star defender K.J. Winston has long-term injury. Here’s what we know

Penn State’s defense has suffered a massive loss. Safety K.J. Winston is out with what head coach James Franklin called a “long-term” injury. Franklin made the announcement Wednesday night after the team’s practice.

Winston played against Bowling Green but left the game early and did not return.

The junior safety is a vital piece of the defense and arguably the best player on the roster, leaving enormous shoes for the team to fill for an undefined amount of time.

Winston, along with Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley, has allowed the team to play three safeties this season, as defensive coordinator Tom Allen likes to do. Without him, it’s much more likely that cornerback Cam Miller slides inside to the Lion position and Reed bumps back to playing as a true safety rather than the hybrid position where he’s excelled.

Beyond the schematic changes, there’s the talent disparity between Winston and whoever backfills for him. He’s an elite safety and is widely projected to be an early round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft thanks to his ability to defend the run, play in man coverage against tight ends and running backs and drop into zone coverage and cover large areas.

Freshman Dejuan Lane has already been deemed a green light player by Franklin and will burn his redshirt this year. He’s the next safety up behind Reed and Wheatley heading into Saturday’s matchup against Kent State in Beaver Stadium.