Jameis Winston plans to follow in the dual-sports footsteps of Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders to becoming legendary.
Even as he prepares to lead his top-ranked, unbeaten Florida State Seminoles against Auburn for the national championship on Jan. 6, the 19-year-old Heisman Trophy winner has an eye on the diamond.
"He felt he hit the field a little late last year," Texas Rangers national cross-checker Clarence Johns who remains close to Winston after the team drafted him two years ago told the New York Post. "He talked about when the bowl game is over, how he can hit the ground running."
While recently in New York to accept his Heisman, Winston made little secret of his dual intentions. "To keep playing, baby," he told The Post. "That's what I do. That's part of my character because I don't feel like I can play football without baseball. I don't feel like I can play baseball without football."
Long before leading the Seminoles by virtue of his record-setting, freshman season (3,820 passing yards, 38 touchdowns), Winston was already making noise on the FSU campus as a hard-throwing righty reliever/outfielder with a fastball in the low 90s.
In his first season, Winston, 19, pitched 27 innings, striking out 21, notching a 3.00 ERA and giving up just 12 hits. Opposing batters hit .176 against him, while at the plate he batted .235 with three triples and nine RBIs, as the Seminoles reached the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament.
The Rangers envision Winston as an outfielder and rate his tools as above average. But more than anything, Johns stresses the team is drawn to him based on his "it" factor.
"He looked you in the eyes and had a sense of determination about himself," Johns said...when you sit down and speak to this young man, he has championship aura about him. ... I would not bet against him."
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