Jameis Winston Reportedly Met with Roger Goodell for 5-6 Hours

Quarterback Jameis Winston was plagued by off-field issues during his time at Florida State, but the controversial star set out to mitigate concerns about his character by meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week.

According to Peter King of The MMQB, the former Heisman Trophy winner requested a meeting with the commissioner when he entered the 2015 draft pool. That meeting finally occurred, and it reportedly featured Winston speaking with Goodell and league officials about his checkered past for between five and six hours.

Per King, an anonymous NFL executive believes Winston acquitted himself well during the meeting.

"He went out of his way to make a good impression, and to show that he understood what was going to be expected of him in the NFL," the official said.

Winston could very well be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 NFL draft, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be quite interested in making him their franchise player, according to Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune:

While Winston's talent is undeniable, the biggest question mark surrounding the former NCAA national champion relates to his character. He has made efforts to apologize for his behavior and emphasized his desire to move forward with his career, most recently during the NFL Combine in February, according to Dom Cosetino of NJ.com:

"

I want to let you all know, I know I've made mistakes, I know I have a past, but right now it's about me moving forward and earning the trust of all these 32 teams out there.

[...]

I have to earn your trust. I can't talk about the situations or anything like that in the past. But what I can do is prove to you, and let you watch me grow into being the face of your franchise.

"

Requesting a meeting with the commissioner suggests Winston is being proactive and hoping to shake the label he gained through a series of poor decisions in college. If the meeting is an indication that Winston is taking steps to better himself, he has a chance to remain on the straight and narrow and be a massive success in the NFL.

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