The college football season in Texas starts a week earlier than normal with a Week 0 matchup between North Texas and UTEP. To celebrate us making it through another off-season, we’re counting down the 50 most important players in Texas every day until Aug. 27. The list isn’t necessarily about which players are the best, though talent plays a major factor in most important.

No. 30: Dee Winters, TCU senior linebacker 

The History

Winters was a four-year letterman and a two-time district MVP in his time at Class 2A Burton High School. The three-star recruit played both ways as a prep, though his primary position was wide receiver, and was listed as an athlete by recruiting services. Winters was a top 100 player in the state who chose the Horned Frogs over Texas Tech, Northwestern, Arkansas, and Arizona State. 

Winters started two of the 11 games he appeared in as a freshman in 2019 after a smooth transition into a role as a full-time linebacker. He was ninth on the team with 28 tackles that season. His role grew as a sophomore in 2020 when he started all 10 games, finishing second on the team with 65 tackles and third with 9.5 for loss. 

Winters continued his progression up the stat sheet for TCU as a junior in 2021 when he led the Horned Frogs with 74 tackles. His 167 stops are the most among current TCU players. The Brenham native has also recorded five sacks and two interceptions in his three-year collegiate career. 

The Skillset

Winters is built to play linebacker in the modern game. The 6-1, 230-pound Winters was able to maintain his athleticism while bulking up from prep wide receiver to college linebacker. That extra muscle has allowed the senior to get better in each of his three seasons in Fort Worth. Another step forward puts him in the discussion for the best linebacker in the state of Texas. This is a guy who caught over 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns in high school – he can run. That makes him a true sideline to sideline backer who doesn’t need to come off the field on passing situations. He does best when the defensive linemen in front of him eat up blocks and allow him to play in space.  

The Impact 

The TCU defense, specifically the front seven, was poor last season, and that might be an understatement. The Horned Frogs allowed nearly 35 points per game in 2021. Opponents rushed for 34 touchdowns in 12 games and averaged 5.6 yards per rush. A new staff is at TCU and defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie are instilling a three-man front designed to allow linebackers to play free and fast. If the defensive line can do its part, an athletic linebacker core led by Winters should flourish. The Big 12 isn’t the pass-happy league your uncle rants about on Twitter. Most of the good teams want to run the football. TCU must improve defensively against the run and a big year by Winters is the key to a bounce back season on that side of the football. 

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