Jameis Winston to Throw at NFL Combine: Details, Comments, Reaction
Jameis Winston is doing all he can to impress scouts at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine. The former Florida State star and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback is the subject of conflicting reports regarding whether he'll throw at Lucas Oil Stadium. Winston announced his decision at the Combine on Friday, according to Bleacher Report's NFL Twitter feed:
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Winston would throw on Tuesday:
Winston is in the running to be the No. 1 overall draft pick—or at least the first player at his position to come off the board. The race should be neck and neck between him and the most recent recipient of the Heisman hardware, dynamic Oregon product Marcus Mariota.
Just before news of Winston's intention to throw in Indy surfaced, ESPN's Chris Mortensen observed how Mariota is scheduled to let it fly this coming Saturday:
The MMQB's Peter King reported that Winston has lost 12 pounds leading up to the combine. This suggests Winston is locking in—in the hopes of impressing teams near the top of the draft order who might be inclined to select him.
However, King's column from Monday included testimony from NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock, who likes Winston as a prospect but raised concerns about some of Winston's perceived shortcomings.
"I'm scared to death of Jameis Winston off the field, and I'm scared to death of how many interceptions he throws," said Mayock. "He threw seven interceptions against Louisville and Florida, and it could have been 12 or 13 if the other team could catch the ball."
Renowned sports personality Jim Rome hinted at Winston's checkered past in his analysis of Winston's decision to throw:
The concerns Mayock and Rome intimate are offset by Winston's leadership on the field.
Winston led Florida State to a national championship and won the Heisman as a freshman, all the while playing in a pro-style offense. Mariota may be viewed as the safer pick from a personality standpoint due to his lack of off-field issues, though he may lack Winston's football acumen.
It's anyone's guess as to what will happen on April 30, when the first round commences. The NFL Scouting Combine ought to be quite a significant determining factor, though.
One of the biggest strengths Winston has is throwing with anticipation. Depending on how much chemistry he can find with his wide receivers at the combine, he may be able to display that better than Mariota on Saturday.
Other top quarterbacks in years past have opted to wait until pro days to throw, so this combine precedent that appears to be set by Winston and Mariota is exciting. They're both apparently keen to shine, and if they can make all the NFL throws, they should have nothing to hide from pro personnel men at Lucas Oil Stadium.
