Jameis Winston Sticking with Florida State: Can He Push EJ Manuel to Start?

Talks have been brewing for quite sometime about Jameis Winston switching his commitment from Florida State to Alabama but just now, Winston has ended these rumors and affirmed he's a Seminole, despite not signing his letter of intent today, according to ESPN.

Rivals rates Winston as the No. 1 dual threat quarterback and the 10th best overall prospect of the 2012 class. He's being heavily recruited by Florida State, Alabama and Stanford, but has repeatedly confirmed his verbal commitment to FSU throughout much speculation. 

A product out of Hueytown, Alabama, Winston has the size to play right away at the next level (6' 4", 200 lbs) and he is extremely talented to boot. He has a cannon for an arm and can also use his speed as an effective weapon when necessary. On top of his skill set, Winston is also an effective leader and if any QB in this class could take over a huddle right away, it would be Winston.

However, superstar Junior QB EJ Manuel sits atop the depth chart in Tallahassee. Manuel was also a highly touted recruit out of high school and when healthy has played very well. He's a bit bigger than Winston right now at 6'5", 245 lbs and is obviously more equipped to play next year.

Despite not living up to the high expectations Florida State entered the season with, it's difficult to blame this disappointment on Manuel. The junior QB was constantly under pressure and suffered injuries due to this. When healthy, Manuel is a dominant force that can win a game on his own and puts this Seminole team in the best position to succeed.

However, Manuel does have trouble staying healthy and Winston must be prepared to perform in the event of an injury. This is one of the many reasons why the commitment of Winston is so important for Fisher and his staff. With Winston they have a solid backup for now, and most likely, a superstar in the future.

Despite how talented and promising Winston is as a prospect, Manuel owns the starting position and will maintain it throughout the year. This is not to say that Winston will never see the field this year, considering Manuel's injury prone past, but he will back up Manuel next season.

Nonetheless, this is great news for FSU as they are getting an extremely talented QB who will not only be a reassuring backup immediately, but a future star as well.