Kellen Winslow Jr. has pled guilty to raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl back during a 2003 incident and now faces up to 18 years in prison.
The ex-NFL star cut a plea deal with prosecutors in his serial rape case involving 5 different accusers -- several of them older transients.
Back in June, Winslow was convicted on 4 criminal charges ... but the jury was deadlocked on 8 remaining charges.
Winslow was due back in a San Diego court Monday for a retrial on the 8 remaining counts but cut a plea deal minutes ago in which he pled guilty to 2 counts -- sexual battery and rape of unconscious person.
In exchange for his plea, the remaining 6 charges were dropped -- which is a big deal for Kellen because he was facing a LIFE sentence if convicted on those 6 counts.
Instead, he's only facing between 12 and 18 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 19.
As for Monday's 2 guilty pleas -- the sexual battery involves Jane Doe #1, a 54-year-old woman who claims Winslow raped her in his Jeep in 2018.
The other count, rape of an unconscious person, involved Jane Doe #4 who claimed Winslow raped her at a party in 2003 when she was 17 and he was 19.
Winslow had previously denied ALL allegations and vowed to prove his innocence.
During Monday's hearing, Winslow Jr. begged the judge to give him the minimum sentence -- 12 years -- so he could see his family.
Kellen's father, NFL Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr., was also in the courtroom and got very emotional during the hearing ... at one point telling the prosecutor, "Do NOT look over here."
Winslow Jr. played in the NFL from 2004 to 2013 -- and made the Pro Bowl in 2007 as a tight end for the Cleveland Browns.