With the 2014 National Football League Draft several days away a premium as always will be put on the quarterback position. Looking ahead to the 2015 NFL Draft all eyes will be on Florida State University quarterback Jameis Winston. Entering the 2014 college football season Winston will be a redshirt sophomore in what will more than likely be his last year in Tallahassee. Winston is coming off of a phenomenal year in which he was able to accomplish everything on the gridiron. Winston passed for 4,057 yards while throwing 40 touchdowns. Winston’s exploits would see him become the first Florida State player since Chris Weinke in 2000 to win the coveted Heisman Trophy as the nation’s top college football player. Like Weinke did in 2000, Winston would lead the Florida State Seminoles to an undefeated season and the BCS Championship. In the process Winston and the ‘Noles would end the Southeastern Conference’s seven-year reign as national champions. Winston has also found time to participate as a member of Florida State’s baseball team where as a relief pitcher he has struck out 21 batters in 27 innings of work this season. But unfortunately for Winston all of that has been overshadowed by his off-the-field incidents.
According to SI.com, Winston along with several other Florida State football players were questioned in regards of an incident involving BB guns that took place in November 2012 where 13 windows were broken at an apartment complex near Doak-Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. In July 2013, an employee at a Tallahassee based Burger King contacted local police to complain about Winston who entered the establishment with three other men. Winston did not purchase any food and he was accused of using containers that are designed to store ketchup to steal soda. Last fall Winston was questioned in regards to a sexual assault case. From the first time that the sexual assault became public knowledge the story seemed to be a bit fishy. The alleged victim was deterred from coming forward with her claim against Winston. Winston did claim to be involved with the woman, but no charges would be filed against him. Since the story broke last fall there have rumors of a cover up by Florida State University and the Tallahasse Police Department to save Winston and Florida State’s beloved football team.
Another blow to Winston’s declining reputation was delivered this week when he was cited for shoplifting $32.72 worth of crab legs from a Publix supermarket in Tallahassee. Winston’s actions have led to him being suspended from the FSU baseball team, but the young man simply needs a reality check.
Winston is a year away from potentially becoming a millionaire in the NFL. But regardless of what he is able to do on the football field, NFL teams will be deterred from selecting Winston due to his growing list of off-the-field issues. The old saying is that once is an accident while two times is a trend and Winston will be heavily scrutinized heading into his National Football League career for his trend of bad decision making off of the field. Yes, Winston is only 20-years of age, but society as a whole will not look at him as a normal 20-year old kid due to the fact of what he has become which is a supremely athletic person that is expected to conduct himself in a certain way.
Winston could come back to lead the Seminoles to another national championship this year while also becoming the first college football player since Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975 to win the Heisman Trophy twice. But that will all be mute as he can expect to be grilled consistently by NFL executives in regards to his immaturity off of the field. Last year Winston was lauded for his poise and leadership on the field for Florida State as a redshirt freshman, but he has been the exact opposite off of it. In the NFL what players (more importantly quarterbacks) are able to do off of the field is just as important as what they do on Sunday afternoons because they are expected to lead by example 24 hours per day. In the NFL, Winston will find that talent alone will not guarantee him a place there because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does not have a problem suspending players for conduct that he deems to be detrimental to the league as he is all about “protecting the shield”; not the players.
Going forward Winston must learn that what goes on above his neck (his decision making) will be the most important thing that he can do. What Winston must do is to put himself around better people that will instill in him to ability to become a better decision maker. If Florida State did “protect” Winston in regards to last year’s alleged sexual case, then the university should use that same energy to put better people around him to ensure that he becomes a better person “if” they are so concerned about Winston the person.
Some of the things that Winston has done may seem childish to some people, but he has been fortunate so far that he has been protected by the mighty Florida State University in Tallahassee. But when in comes to being a professional in the NFL he will find out extremely quick that he is a target and that people will not be as tolerable with his behavior; regardless of what he is able to do on the football field.
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