Jameis Winston Interviews with Buccaneers: Latest Details and Reaction

Projected No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston got a glimpse of his next potential football home this week, visiting with Buccaneers brass in Tampa Bay.      

Scott Smith of the team's official website confirmed the visit and provided comments from Winston:

"

Being able to play three years in Florida, I would love to stay here in this great state. I've just got to take advantage of this blessing. It's not really important to me to be the first pick, but it is important to me to be picked. I believe that I have been blessed during my years at Florida State to win a national championship and just be a winning quarterback. And I believe this place – I would love to be here.

"

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Winston arrived in Tampa on Monday and will leave Wednesday. He is expected to meet with team ownership and other officials, while Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times noted that veteran leaders will also sit down with Winston to get a general impression of how he'd fit in the locker room.   

The Buccaneers are expected to have a similar meeting with Oregon's Marcus Mariota, per ESPN's Ed Werder. Mariota and Winston are largely viewed as the most likely players to go No. 1 overall in April, though opinions widely differ about who will be the better long-term option. 

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Winston, who led Florida State to a national championship in 2013 while winning the Heisman Trophy, is considered the safer, more traditional pick from a skills standpoint. Mariota, a three-year star at Oregon who won his Heisman last season, offers more in the way of running ability and comes with a clean off-the-field record.

Schefter's report indicates Winston's schedule, rather than any other reason, dictated that the visit be in March. Typically, teams do not meet with potential draft choices this early in the process—especially this high in the selection order.

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