What happens when college football programs start heading in the right direction and accumulating talented players?

Well, not only do wins come, but, players leave. And, not for other programs, but, the NFL.

At Minnesota, P.J. Fleck is building a winner. The proof is in the pudding. The Golden Gophers went 11-2 this past season for a reason.

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With that, came a tough decision for safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

The talented safety had a season of eligibility remaining, but decided to take his talents to the NFL early. Afterwards, Fleck talked about not only Winfield, but the program he’s building:

“First of all, anytime players are leaving early with your program,” Fleck said. “I think that’s a benefit and that shows the development and the rapid development, you can have within your program. We’re going to have to get used to this with a lot of the players that we have and I think that shows the health of the program that you’re able to develop pro players really quickly and that the NFL wants them.

“Same thing as you develop coaches and people take coaches. You want them to continue to move on for their hopes, dreams and aspirations just like our players. But with Antoine, don’t forget, he’s a four year player. We knew that we had him for two years and there was no way that any one of you thought we were getting him for two more after this year. One more maybe, but I think when you went through the season of what he was able to accomplish.

“I think he looked at it like, what else could I accomplished here. I think it’s that it’s time to turn the page. When you look at Carter Coughlin, Kamal Martin and Thomas Barber. All of his roommates. They’re all leaving and I think it was time for him to be able to move on and we support him either way, whether they stay or whether they go.

“We do everything we can to educate them through the NFL process, and then they make the best decision for them and we’re behind him 100%.”

The 2020 NFL Draft is set to take place from April 23-25.