Going Pro: Did FSU QB Jameis Winston Make The Right Choice?
The decision on what to do with the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft may have just gotten a little more difficult for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston has announced that he is entering this year’s NFL draft. The money and allure of the NFL was obviously too much for Winston to pass up, but in a perfect world, I personally think he would have benefited from staying in college for a few reasons.
First off, Winston is coming off a flawed year statistically speaking which did not measure up to his sparkling freshman campaign. Winston’s 18 INT’s this season was eight more than he had all of last season. As a result, Winston’s inability to protect the ball drastically altered FSU’s play calling at times this year.
As far as yards per completion are concerned,Winston’s average of 10.6 last year has dipped to 8.4 this year. In addition to his shorter throws this year, Winston’s 25 touchdown passes were 15 less than his total from last season. While Jameis Winston still displayed flashes of brilliance and his knack for coming up with big plays in clutch moments is unquestioned, his inconsistency as a game manager has me wondering what type of quarterback he will eventually become.
Granted, star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin leaving two years early for the NFL sure didn’t help Winston’s cause this year. And yes, Winston is not lacking in any physical characteristics that the NFL is looking for. However, Winston’s well chronicled character concerns leads me to believe that he is not quite ready for the NFL spotlight. From his very serious rape allegations to his foolish crab legs heist, Jameis Winston has plenty of growing up to do before he can be trusted to be the face of an NFL franchise.
As far as the Bucs are concerned, it will be very enticing to keep Winston in the state of Florida. However, Winston would be expected to be the team savior from Day 1 if Tampa Bay selects him. With the underwhelming play of quarterbacks Josh McCown and Mike Glennon, it would force Winston into a leadership role sooner rather than later.
In my view, a more mature quarterback prospect like Marcus Mariota would be better equipped to handle such a dire situation. Winston’s best chance for success would be to go to a team with a stronger structure and better supporting cast, something that Tampa Bay simply cannot offer at this time.
Like Winston, quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck also faced similar decisions in their young careers. Forgoing NFL millions by staying in college an extra year did nothing to harm their pro potential. Meanwhile, other passers like Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton left their college eligibility on the table and have done just fine in the NFL.
In Winston’s case, I would have liked to have seen him clean up his mistakes both on and off the field before taking his talents to the NFL level. Considering Florida State’s embarrassing 59-20 loss in the Rose Bowl, Winston ended his college career with quite a whimper. Nonetheless, money talks. And Winston couldn’t help but to listen.