As I watched Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston take the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday afternoon at the NFL Combine, I wasn’t sure if the 21 year-old Heisman Trophy winner was looking for a job in the NFL, or running for political office.
After all the talk about Winston’s troubled past, I found myself fairly impressed with his keen ability to handle an interview. I’m sure he was coached in-depth, before the interview about what he needed to say, but how he said it, was all Jameis Winston, and I found myself being sold.
Like a polished salesman, instead of waiting for his troubled past to come up, Winston diffused the questions that were sure to come about his character by addressing them first.
The youngster from Hueytown, Alabama knows that if he wants to be the top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and get the keys to the kingdom of an NFL franchise, he needed to hit a home-run with his interview.
Jameis Winston was the star of the show on Friday in Indianapolis, and he knew it!
"”What I do tell them is, `I have to earn your trust,”’ Winston said. ”I can’t talk about situations or anything like that in the past but what I can do is prove to them and let you watch me grow into being the face of your franchise.”"
The other negative Winston needed to put to rest was the issue about his throwing shoulder. His interview was delayed on Thursday due to extensive testing, examination, and more MRI’s.
He put the problem to rest, saying he would be throwing at the Combine on Saturday, and that his baseball career at Florida State may have caused the problem.
"”I had the MRI, just like everybody else. I’ve been playing football since I was 4 years old and the shoulder’s been fine,” Winston said. ”I’ve got the same shoulder I done had the last two years at Florida State.”Winston even joked his baseball career – he played for the Seminoles – could have caused the injury."
I came away from the Jameis Winston interview, with a different take on this youngster. What I didn’t see, was a youngster who appeared to be as troubled, as had been reported. I saw a kid who knows he has made some mistakes, but is turning the page on his life.
He understands the shenanigans of his past need to stay in his past, and he needs to take the next step, which is into adulthood, and earn the trust of which ever organization takes a chance on him.
Winston understands that he will be the face, and spokesman for a major NFL team for the next decade, and did a great job of selling 32 teams on his future success on Friday.
I’m sold! All indications are that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take Jameis Winston with the first pick on April 30th, but if for some reason they don’t, I think the Tennessee Titans brass will have a tough decision to make.
I know General Manager, Ruston Webster, and Head Coach, Ken Whisenhunt will do their homework, and if Jameis Winston is available, they will make the right decision for their team, and fans.
All of the business is out-of-the-way at this point, and everyone will wait with anticipation for Winston’s throwing session on Saturday afternoon. After what I saw on the field for the past two seasons at Florida State, I don’t expect any problems on the field.
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