Antoine Winfield Jr. is his own man, and right now, he's carving a path toward an NFL career as the best pure safety prospect in this year's draft class. 

No matter where Winfield goes, the shadow of his father will always follow him. That's what happens when one enters the family business. 

"I feel like every team I go to, people have either played with him or coached with him," Winfield told reporters during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's often told about "anything they remember about my dad."

Family legacies tend to create ripple effects. Either the child becomes overwhelmed and never lives up to the standard set by their parent, or the parent's success helps build a future for further familial achievements. 

In Winfield's case, his father, who was one of the best all-around and certainly one of the most physical corners of his era, helped mold a hard worker and instilled a level of professionalism in his son most individuals don't reach until they're in the league for years. 

"Watching him work hard throughout his career is what really taught me how to work hard," the 2019 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year said. "I feel like that's a testament to me being here."

But Junior shouldn't be viewed in the same manner as Senior. Yes, a few similarities apparently run through the Winfields' genetic coding—and those will be discussed—but the younger Winfield enters the league at a different position without the same pedigree as his father. 

Antoine Winfield Sr. came out of a pipeline program in Ohio State as an expected first-round pick despite his size limitations (5'9", 180 pounds). The 1999 draft entree won both the Jim Thorpe Award and Jack Tatum Trophy during his final year on campus. 

The younger defensive back established himself as an elite defensive back after Sunday's combine performance, though his collegiate play should have had him there already. NFL talent evaluations can be a tricky business. But a significant concern persisted with Winfield's skill set. 

"There have been a lot of questions about my speed," he said on Saturday. "So that's what I'm ready to prove a lot of people wrong with."

He certainly did. 

The former Minnesota Gopher posted a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. The time is four-hundredths of a second slower than his father posted long ago, but that's inconsequential. The 2019 unanimous All-American answered any questions about his speed as a 203-pound safety. The time tied for third among safeties at this year's combine. 

More importantly, Winfield's timed speed confirmed the sideline-to-sideline ability seen on film. While Senior excelled as a matchup corner, Junior's vision portends a true back-end field general. 

Really, the incoming safety's skill set is a mixture of multiple defensive backs, and his father provided the foundation.

Earl Thomas III reset the standard for free safeties. Thomas ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash during the 2010 combine. Prior to his arrival, the NFL relied heavily on Cover 2 usage thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' success through the late 1990s and early 2000s. But the Seattle Seahawks had different plans. Pete Carroll brought an aggressive Cover 3 approach with Thomas serving as the eraser along the backline. He could make up for any mistake against the run or a deep pass thanks to his burst. Winfield Jr. displayed similar quickness with his 40-yard effort. 

Obviously, the previous explanation isn't meant to compare Winfield Jr. to a future Hall of Fame safety. Thomas' impact revolutionized how the position was played and benefited a player like Winfield.

The incoming defender actually pointed to another defensive back he tries to emulate besides his father. Winfield Jr. models his game after Tyrann Mathieu, who took the evolution of the safety position a step further. The 5'9", 190-pound defensive back isn't a typical NFL defender by any measure, but his versatility is without peer. The Honey Badger can play both safety spots, line up over the slot, bump outside to cover a wide receiver if need be, match up against a tight end or blitz off the edge. He's a chess piece capable of impacting a game at any second. 

Senior's demeanor coupled with Thomas' speed and Mathieu's versatility encapsulates the perfect defensive back for today's game. Junior strives to reach those standards, but many of his traits translate because bits and pieces are taken from each of the aforementioned masters. 

Similar builds as well as a willingness to tackle and do so efficiently certainly invokes Senior when watching Winfield Jr. play. 

"It comes when I'm tackling," Winfield Jr. said of the comparison, per the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Andrew Krammer. "Like I make a tackle and I’m like, 'I've seen my dad make the same tackle watching his highlights.' It's just crazy to see the comparison between us, because we play the exact same."

No concerns exist regarding the young man playing the alley or filling a gap against the run. He arrives with outstanding form and force. 

Thomas' tracking skills start to show when watching Winfield Jr. play the deep third. Winfield Jr.'s play recognition and understanding of route concepts provide him with a distinct advantage. Outstanding closing speed allows him to drive on the football, especially deep passes, which became apparent when he finished the 2019 campaign as the nation's fourth-best ballhawk with seven interceptions. 

How defensive coaches will use Winfield Jr. at the next level has yet to be determined. Free safety is his best position, but he can do some of the things asked of Mathieu, or Budda Baker to a lesser degree.

These things were seen during his combine workout. Winfield's movement skills didn't just translate to the 40-yard dash. He effortlessly moved about the field during his position workout. He's been well-trained, of course. The safety displayed impeccable balance, patience and drive through his breaks—whether he drove toward the ball, opened and turned or broke laterally out of his backpedal.  The fluidity seen in his lower body made him look more like the corners who worked through the drills earlier in the day. This indicates a safety who can be used all over the field and not be considered an instant mismatch against opposing tight ends or wide receivers. 

The incoming safety class presents a few interesting options. 

Alabama's Xavier McKinney is steady because of his overall field awareness. He can play either safety spot or nickel linebacker. He's rarely out of position and won't make too many mistakes. LSU's Grant Delpit is a physical safety who's best near the line of scrimmage, though missed tackles became a bugaboo. Small-school standouts Kyle Dugger and Jeremy Chinn are impressive physical specimens making the leap from a lower level of competition—both certainly have the natural ability to do so but will remain a question mark until they prove themselves. 

But none of those mentioned bring the same potential game-breaking ability as Winfield Jr. The early entrant proved he has the speed to back up what he did on the field when healthy. The final point shouldn't be entirely overlooked since the former Gopher only played in eight combined games between 2017 and 2018. If fully cleared by medical personnel, there's no incoming prospect better suited to play safety in today's NFL. 

And he'll so so without any worries about following in his father's footsteps. 

"I'm my own identity," Winfield Jr. said, per Sports Illustrated's Chris Vinel. "I'm Antoine Winfield Jr. A lot of people call me Antoine Winfield. I’m like, 'Nah, that’s my dad’s name.'"