The NFL Draft is inching closer, and now the rumors are swinging back and forth more rapidly. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still in on Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as their No. 1 overall pick.
Winston's talent hasn't been in question for the Buccaneers, it's his numerous off-the field infractions. Winston's been involved in silly incidents, such as screaming obscenities in a crowded cafeteria and stealing crab legs from a local supermarket.
He was also embroiled in an extremely serious sexual assault case in which charges were never brought against Winston because of a lack of sufficient evidence. However, his victim has claimed the investigation was stalled because of Winston's status as a star football player, whose team went on to win the National Championship while he brought home a Heisman Trophy.
Stories have leaked that some members of Tampa Bay's front office are queasy about taking someone with allegations of sexual crimes No. 1 overall in the current NFL climate after incidents like Ray Rice's and Greg Hardy's domestic violence dominated news for much of 2014.
On the field, Winston's performance is difficult to poke holes in. He has prototypical size for an NFL quarterback-6'4, 231 pounds-and his statistics in a pro-style offense project well. His best season came as a freshman, when he threw for 4,057 yards and 40 touchdowns while being picked off just 10 times.
Last season was more of a struggle for Winston. His touchdowns dropped significantly (25 in 2014), and he nearly doubled his interception total. The decreased production didn't hurt the Seminoles in the win column however, as Winston led several game-winning drives over the course of the season and brought them to the College Football Playoff. In their Playoff loss to Oregon, however, Winston melted down and FSU was blown out.
Still, his body of work in a pro system, his prototypical size, and his arm strength and accuracy advantage over Marcus Mariota's will likely end up being enough for him to be taken first.
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