Monday, March 18, 2024

FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston to Enter NFL Draft

Jameis Winston

*Jameis Winston is done with college.

The embattled Florida State University quarterback has decided to forgo his junior year and enter the NFL draft, his father announced Wednesday morning, according to ESPN.

Initially, Antonor Winston said his son planned to wait until after the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T to announce a decision, but instead, Jameis came to a firm decision Tuesday night that he was ready to enter the NFL draft.

Winston completed his redshirt sophomore season with a loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl. He was 26-1 as a starter and led Florida State to the national championship last season.

While off-field incidents swirled throughout much of his time at FSU, Winston’s numbers were among the best in college football when he was on the field. Winston ranks fourth in touchdown passes (65), fourth in passing yards (7,964) and second in passes of 20 yards or more (124) since the start of the 2013 season.

Winston’s statistics fell off this season as he threw for 3,907 yards, 25 touchdowns and had 18 interceptions. He also rushed for 65 yards and three TDs.

The biggest knocks on Winston remain his off-the-field scandals, which included a rape allegation for which he was not charged. In December 2014, Florida State held an internal student code of conduct hearing regarding those allegations in which an independent arbiter ruled that there was not enough evidence to find Winston guilty. Winston also served a one-game suspension earlier this season for yelling a vulgar phrase in an on-campus dining area.

Winston’s father said initial plans to delay an announcement were scuttled by extensive media attention and that after Jameis Winston prayed on the decision Tuesday night, he felt comfortable with his plan to leave for the NFL.

A formal announcement is expected this afternoon.

ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr. has Winston rated as the second-best quarterback behind 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and the sixth player overall on his latest Big Board. Kiper believes that Winston has special pocket instincts and the necessary vision, size, arm strength and athleticism to make it in the NFL. In his latest mock draft, ESPN NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay projects Winston to go No. 2 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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