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Intangibles Make Jameis Winston the Best QB in 2015 Draft Class

By Jose Martinez

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January 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) runs the ball against the Oregon Ducks in the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s take a second to talk about that infamous picture of a shirtless Jameis? When he started the pre-Combine training in San Diego, Winston weighed in at 248 pounds. Once the Combine rolled around, he came in at 231. People saw he had a belly and the image raised plenty of red flags regarding his ability to remain slim. I saw things a little differently.

One thing that both Wilson and Brady had in common when they entered the league was this idea that they played with a chip on their shoulder and wanted to prove people wrong. Even before declaring for the draft, Winston has been called JaMarcus Russell 2.0. It’s the cloud that will hang over his head for his first couple of years in the NFL, but Jameis is using this as the chip on his shoulder. It will be the motivation he needs to prove people wrong.

Did you see this clip of Winston with NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci? It shows the former FSU quarterback and Mariucci running through a play, the verbiage and how to best attack in that situation. While it was fast-paced and Mariucci was a little out there, Jameis showed a keen eye for quickly understanding what was being said to him and how to regurgitate the pertinent information when asked.

Once Winston enters the NFL, there will need time to adjust. It happens with every player. But the aforementioned clip showed me that he is a fast learner who can receive and retain information with relative ease. This ability to quickly store and process football knowledge isn’t taught. It’s the reason why Jameis’ football IQ is reminiscent to that of Peyton Manning.

When comparing Winston and Mariota on the field, there’s a whole lot to like about both guys. But, at some point, the Buccaneers will need to make a final decision about which one to take. If you throw out the off-the-field concerns, something needs to differentiate one from the other. If you throw intangibles into the equation, the choice becomes pretty easy. Famous Jameis is your man.

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