ESPN NFL Insider Mike Sando went to Orlando, Florida, to watch Jon Gruden’s QB Camp taping with Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.
The Monday Night Football co-host came away really impressed with Winston’s football acumen. Gruden believes Winston is the most ready incoming rookie, telling ESPN.com that Jameis can win games right from the start.
I would not necessarily write off Winston as a rookie, even though he’ll be going to a weaker team without a top offensive line.
Indianapolis won two games in 2011 and had no pass protection for its QBs, no receivers getting open on the film I watched — and then the next season, the big soldier, No. 12, Andrew Luck walked in. Have you seen Seattle’s offensive line or receiving corps at times over the past few seasons? Let’s see another quarterback go out there and do what Russell Wilson has done with the same offensive team.
This guy here, Winston, he can stand in there under tremendous fire and throw strikes. I have seen a lot of tape of him doing that. Florida State missed more protection pickups this year than last year. Winson was under a lot more fire. He had a very good supporting cast overall. There are going to be a lot of Seminoles drafted — three linemen, the tight end, a receiver — but there is no question Winston is mentally tough enough to weather the football challenges that await him his first year in the NFL.