With Jameis Winston most likely going to be the number one pick in this year’s draft, there are many different thoughts out there about his prospects. Some people say he is going to be great while others think he is going to be a complete bust. Here are the pros and cons of Jameis Winston.
Jameis Winston: Pros
SIZE
At 6’4 and 230 lbs. Winston has the size of a prototypical NFL quarterback. With that size, he can be able to take hits as well as break away from tackles. His size is comparable to Ben Roethlisberger and that is a good person to be compared to.
ARM STRENGTH
After watching him throw at Florida State’s pro day, Winston does have a good arm on him. Not only was he connecting to his receivers in stride, but he was hitting them at a good velocity as well. To be a good NFL quarterback, he has to be able to make those tough throws. He can compete with the best when it comes to this component of his game.
FOOTWORK
Winston’s footwork was also very good when I watched him on Florida State’s pro day. He is mobile with his feet and knows how to use them to make plays. This got him in trouble though sometimes as he tried to do too much on plays. If he can establish when to use them to run and when to move out of the pocket and make a good throw, then he will be a dynamic player.
Jameis Winston: Cons
ATTITUDE
During his times in college, he built up a reputation that didn’t sit well with many NFL scouts. From his infamous crab stealing incident to the time he got suspended a game and still came out fully dressed, he has done some things that put him in the spotlight in a bad way. If he doesn’t change that to a more professional attitude, then the media will have a field day with him and other NFL players will make sure to come after him harder than anybody else.
WINDUP
One big problem I saw with Winston throwing is that he does wind up before he makes the tough throws. The only way that this will work in the NFL is if you have all the time in the world to throw. It doesn’t work like that in this league. If he gets drafted by Tampa Bay or any other team higher up, he isn’t going to have time like that because the offensive line isn’t as good as it was at Florida State. He will have to make those kind of adjustments much quicker than he did in college.
THE PRESSURE
Being the number one pick in the NFL draft comes with a huge target on your back. There is going to be so much pressure on him to be able to step up to the plate and show that he can hang with the best of the best. Now, Winston has been in the national spotlight before when he won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship his freshman year. That said, this is the NFL and the stage is that much higher. If he can handle the media and all that surrounds him, then he will be fine. But, if he crumbles, then the critics and fans will eat him up and throw him away like its nothing.
Overall, Jameis Winston has a lot riding on him as he enters this year’s draft. I personally think he will be an average quarterback. He could prove me wrong or he could do worse. It all depends on if he can take the cons I listed and improve on them. We will see this 2015 NFL season.
Marcus Mariota is the other big name quarterback expected to go early and he has his own set of pros and cons. Find them out here.
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