Jameis Winston Balances Cockiness, Concerns at 2015 NFL Combine

Heading into the 2015 NFL draft, there isn't a more polarizing prospect than Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. He is incredibly talented and successful on the field, but dogged by questions and problems off of it.

That contradiction would add drama to any young player's time at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. When that young player is the early favorite to be the first overall pick in the draft—well, that drama ramps up a notch or six.

Sure enough, while Winston has only been in Indy for a couple of days and hasn't even taken the field yet, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner's time at the combine already has had more twists and turns than a prime-time drama.

The day started out like an episode of ER.

As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported, news broke that Winston's Thursday media session was postponed because he had been sent to undergo additional testing after one doctor noticed some "weakness" in his throwing shoulder:

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Winston "underwent electromyography to study a weakness in his shoulder that often can be caused by a nerve problem and can be treated through therapy, if necessary."

Winston brushed off the testing as much ado about nothing.

"I got the same shoulder I done had the last two years at Florida State," Winston said, per Mortensen. "I had an MRI [on Thursday], just like everyone else. I've been playing football for, since I was 4 years old, and my shoulder has been fine."

Winston's agent did the same, according to Rapoport:

In fact, according to what Winston's personal quarterbacks coach George Whitfield told Alex Marvez of Fox Sports, Winston's arm might actually be getting stronger:

"

I've seen him make every single throw of everything since he's been out there. He's actually getting stronger. I just think they're being cautious. …

I don't know. Maybe they just made an observation, but it's certainly not anything that comes functionally that has inhibited him. He hasn't expressed anything about it. I'm sure they're just being cautious.

"

Granted, everything reportedly checked out fine, and the issue in question is a common malady for pitchers (Winston played baseball at Florida State). But the last thing a team wants to hear about a potential top-five pick is "shoulder problems."

Especially when that player is a quarterback.

Of course, it looks like those same NFL teams will get to see that arm up close this weekend, as Rapaport passed on information that Winston is planning to throw at the combine:

That news came on the heels of some reality programming, with Winston conducting his own version of The Biggest Loser.

When it was time for Winston to take the scales in Indy, he checked in at 6'3.75" and 231 pounds. It's that latter number that was especially interesting, as speculation had swirled that his weight was up since a shirtless picture of a pudgy-looking Winston made the rounds on the Internet a week before:

Get it? Rounds? HA! I Kill Me!

Hey, Winston had a sense of humor about it, too.

"A lot of people thought I was fat, but I look good and I know it!" Winston said, per Will Brinson of CBS Sports.

It's a non-story. There's a reason for why it's called "silly season."

It's reminiscent of the "Fat Eddie Lacy" brouhaha of two years ago and a by-product of an age when every photo is one click from everywhere.

I'd wager that shirtless photos of Ben Roethlisberger wouldn't show the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback with a six-pack. Eighteen maybe. Perhaps a case.

All players aren't built like Rob Gronkowski, and an Adonis-like physique isn't a prerequisite for success in the NFL:

Wow. Been a long time, huh Tommy?

Winston's sense of humor was on full display during Friday's media session. He was equal parts engaging and confident. He wasn't shy about his plans for the future, per NFL on ESPN's Twitter account:

There were hard questions, too. And while Winston didn't necessarily dodge questions about his checkered past while at Florida State, it isn't hard to see that his answers to those questions were prepared well in advance.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette provided one of Winston's answers to a question about his off-the-field issues in college:

The shadows of those mistakes loom large over Winston in Indy.

As Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman recently wrote, while Winston wasn't charged criminally in regards to the sexual-assault allegations made against him at Florida State, a recently filed civil suit means that saga is far from concluded:

"

The civil suit alleges that Florida State failed to follow federal Title IX laws upon becoming aware of the rape allegation.

One of the attorneys for the accuser, John Clune, of the Boulder, Colorado-based firm Hutchinson Black and Cook, said in an email conversation with Bleacher Report that Winston cannot avoid being deposed for the lawsuit.

"It's going to happen, period," he wrote.

There is also a possibility (emphasis on possibility) that Winston could face civil recriminations over the civil action.

That's a lot of ifs and maybes that could add up to nothing. Or they could present a series of distractions for a rookie who will already face the normal rookie distractions.

"

That's not the only problem. Winston's numerous off-the-field issues in college didn't escape the eye of the league offices, especially after the nightmarish season the NFL just endured in that regard.

As USA Today's Christine Brennan reports, Winston could be in very hot water very quickly if he runs afoul of the league's new personal conduct policy:

"

Based on that policy, which takes a serious look at behavior outside of the league, Winston already qualifies as a violator, so he arrives at the league's doorstep with one strike against him. That means any misstep he makes as an NFL player could be seen by the league as a second offense, potentially drawing a punishment more severe than an initial six-game suspension.

"

So on top of those shoulder problems that aren't a problem, there's also the very real chance that any violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy could draw Winston a suspension of up to a full season (or more).

Add it all up, and this tweet from Kimberly Jones of WFAN Radio is hardly surprising:

And in that respect, Winston's combine to date has put us right back where we started as far as he's concerned.

There's certainly no questioning Winston's confidence. And that's fine. NFL teams need their quarterbacks to be confident, even arrogant. To succeed at that level, you have to believe you can (and will).

And it's confidence he's earned.

Winston threw for nearly 8,000 yards over two seasons as a starter for the Seminoles. Over that stretch, he lost all of one game (last season's national semifinal Rose Bowl loss to Oregon). In addition to his Heisman win, Winston led Florida State to a national championship in 2013.

However, for every "plus" next to Winston's name in the ol' scouting notebook, there's a question. And now, a potential arm problem has been added to concerns about his maturity and ability to stay out of trouble off the field.

With the recent history of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks who can't keep their noses clean, that last one's a biggie, especially given the higher amounts of guaranteed money paid to top draft picks.

All of that ratchets up the pressure on Winston to do well in Saturday's workouts. If he comes out chucking lasers around Lucas Oil Stadium, then scouts and execs on the fence about Winston will have a much easier time convincing themselves that his shoulder is fine or he really has learned from past mistakes.

Conversely, every duck that flutters through the air will leave scouts shaking their heads or scribbling a reminder to consult the team doctors.

It's Winston in a nutshell: For every answer, there's a new question raised. While his time in Indy has already been action-packed, we won't know how it all turns out until the conclusion of Saturday's episode.

Stay tuned!

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPManor.