Florida State redshirt sophomore quarterback, 2014 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, Jameis Winston announced Wednesday morning he will enter the 2015 NFL Draft and forgo his final two seasons as a Seminole. There was much speculation as to whether or not Winston would declare for the draft as he said he will play baseball for Florida State in the spring. This meant that he would not be focused on the draft 24/7. Whether or not he will still play baseball remains unknown
Leaving Florida State was the right move for Winston. First, he will not have the risk of suffering a serious injury in college where he won't be paid. A serious injury or bad season can ruin draft stocks. Second, Winston is a projected top 5 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. There is seemingly no way he can improve his draft stock by staying in school. Third, and perhaps most importantly, he needed to get out of Florida State. With many off-field troubles ranging from minor misdemeanors such as stealing crab legs, yelling an obscene Internet meme from atop a cafeteria table, and participating in a wild BB gun battle on campus, to serious ones such as the sexual assault he was accused of in 2012, the school may have turned into a bad environment for him. Florida State can be compared to the Miami "bad boys" of the 1990's with many Seminoles breaking the law. Winston needed to get out of that program as fast as he could.
Winston has all the physical tools one would want in an NFL quarterback. He has exceptional arm strength, good mobility (not as mobile as Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, however), great accuracy, and great elusiveness. As one can see in the video above, he can make all of the throws at the next level as he throws his receivers open many times. His mechanics and footwork need work but that can be developed in a NFL system. His 18 interceptions this season were alarming, but should not hold him back too much. This writer believes that if, and this is a big if, Winston can stay out of trouble, he will become a franchise quarterback and a better player than Oregon's Marcus Mariota.
But which NFL franchise will get Winston? Here are a few teams who will be closely watching him. (Note: This writer excluded teams who will need to trade up to have a shot at Winston)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The owners of the #1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft need a franchise quarterback. They may go the safe route and choose the Oregon dual-threat QB Marcus Mariota or they may pick Winston who went to college not too far from Tampa Bay. This will definitely be worth monitoring as the draft gets nearer and nearer.
Tennessee Titans: The Titans have the 2nd overall pick in the draft and they may very well take whichever quarterback the Bucs don't select. Winston would fit well in Ken Whisenhunt's offense. However, the Titans may elect to go in a completely different route and draft the pass rusher they so desperately need such as Nebraska's Randy Gregory or Missouri's Shane Ray. If the Titans select a pass-rusher in the 1st round, it shows that they are willing to give 2014 6th round pick Zach Mettenberger another shot. Mettenberger has the arm to succeed in the NFL but has been hampered by injuries the past couple seasons from his final season at LSU to his rookie year in the NFL.
Washington Redskins: The Redskins hold the 5th overall pick in the draft and if Winston is still on the board, they may take him. Robert Griffin III is looking like a bust after three seasons and it may be time to look to the future. The problem with RG3 isn't related to talent. The problem is injuries which Winston may not need to worry about too much since he is a pocket-passer and is built to sustain NFL hits. Washington may also decide to look for help at the safety position and draft Alabama's Landon Collins, but they will be hard-pressed for passing up a potential franchise quarterback in Winston.
New York Jets: This may be the worst destination for Jameis Winston. The Jets will be picking 6th overall in the draft and may very well have a chance to select Winston if the 3 teams above pass him up. The Jets are still looking for their franchise quarterback since Geno Smith is not playing well in his first two seasons in the NFL. This may be the worst case scenario for Winston since he will be playing in a New York market where the media will eat him alive if he continues his immature ways from Florida State. This is most likely the last spot Winston can fall to since the Jets are almost certainly not going to pass him up. Also, be aware for a team with a lower pick to trade up for Winston if he falls such as the St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, or Chicago Bears.
Comment thoughts on if Winston made the right decision and what team he will be drafted to.