When it comes to the NFL Draft you truly don’t know who to believe. What scouts and GMs are saying in September doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the same in April. Jameis Winston is an extremely physically talented quarterback, that part has never been in question, but being a QB isn’t just physical it is also mental.
In the best case scenario Winston is just very immature, but worst case scenario he is a sexual predator and criminal who has been getting away with thing so long, he doesn’t know how to stop himself. The truth maybe somewhere in the middle. It is a new day in the NFL and they can’t afford to have the face of the franchise embarrassing them and that is worrying some scouts and GMs according to Bleacher Report Mike Freeman.
“What concerns me about Winston,” one NFC scout said, “is there’s no learning curve. That’s a scary thing for a quarterback who is supposed to be a leader. To me, he’s gone from a top-three pick to a late second-rounder.”
“Our league right now needs leaders,” an AFC scout said, “and I don’t see him being that. He hasn’t demonstrated that.”
Bill Polian, who built Super Bowl teams and will one day go into the Hall of Fame, was asked on ESPN if he would draft Winston. Polian’s response: I don’t know.
In the end I think talent trumps almost everything unless there are videotapes and photos, but Winston can’t have any more missteps because he won’t be just a “college kid” forever.