BAD

BOYThe NFL’s 2015 No 1 draft pick will come under intense scrutiny in his debut pro season. By Megan Hart JAMEISWINSTON

ove him or hate him, there is no denying Winston took the majority of his snaps at the gridiron’s Jameis Winston kept college line of scrimmage, as opposed to about five football fans entertained during his yards (4.5m) behind it in what is known as a two-year tenure as Florida State’s shotgun formation. Most college teams take , and now he is moving snaps in shotgun and run a spread offense, on to an even bigger stage. which requires less size and skill than the pro LEach March, all 32 NFL teams (the NFL is style. Consequently, few enter the US’ professional football league) take turns the NFL with Winston’s level of experience. selecting the top talent from college football Not only that, scouts have also raved about to add to their playing squads, and 2015’s first how well the top pick understands the game. pick went to the . By In the days leading up to the draft, former selecting him with the No 1 overall pick, the Steve Mariucci met with Winston Bucs took a gamble on Winston. Will ‘Famous to tape an interview for NFL Network. On a Jameis’, as he is known, be able to replicate whiteboard, Mariucci drew up an impossibly the on-field success he had in college, or will complicated play and then erased it. ‘Draw that his off-field antics steal the show? back for me,’ he told Winston. The 21-year-old Before the draft, potential picks participate sketched it up without skipping a beat – so in an exhibition day known as the NFL Combine. easily, in fact, that Mariucci was stunned. Winston (first name pronounced JAY-miss) was Winston’s size (1.93m, 104kg) makes him the centre of attention at this year’s edition, a challenge for opposing defences to tackle, and with his impressive physical display and the scouts have compared him to two-time Super bold answers he gave during the interview Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh portion of the event. ‘One thing about me, Steelers because of his ability to evade pass I plan on winning the Super Bowl next year,’ rushers. He may not have the speed of previous Winston said. Though some fans were turned first-rounders Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin off by what they perceived as cockiness, it III, but neither of them have had stellar starts spoke volumes to NFL scouts, who place in the NFL. a high value on confidence. , former St Louis Rams Winston is a proven winner. In 27 games with quarterback and two-time NFL MVP, echoed the Florida State Seminoles, he lost just once. the sentiments of most football experts in his The Seminoles ran a pro-style offense, meaning analysis of Winston. ‘If I’m just talking football wise, I believe Jameis Winston is hands down the No 1 pick,’ he said in a radio interview before the draft. Based on his football IQ and physical skills alone, Winston’s name atop the draft board makes perfect sense. But there are other factors to consider. Though he led his team to the inaugural 202MILLION College Football play-offs last season and THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE VIEWERS finished the year with just one loss, Winston WHO TUNED IN TO NFL GAMES IN struggled in certain areas. His team got off 2014, PUTTING 45 OF THEM IN THE to slow starts, having to mount comebacks YEAR’S TOP 50 MOST-WATCHED in nearly every game. He also finished the TV PROGRAMMES IN AMERICA season with a whopping 18 interceptions, the second-most of any quarterback in college football last year. The Bucs are confident they can curb Winston’s poor on-field decision-making. But what about his faults off the field? Winston was the subject of some serious accusations PHOTOS: EZRA SHAW/STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES PHOTOS: EZRA SHAW/STEPHEN

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– since 2012 he has been BEST OF THE REST embroiled in a legal battle over Leonard Williams a sexual assault allegation – New York Jets defensive end as well as a few less serious In making their picks, teams use claims during his time with one of two strategies. Some take the Seminoles. In 2014 he was a player who fits their positional suspended for one game after needs, while others choose the shouting crude phrases from atop best available guy on the draft board regardless of position. The a table in the campus cafeteria, Jets did the latter in selecting and in 2013 he was caught stealing Williams with the sixth overall pick. a package of crab legs from a local In his three years at the University of grocery store. Southern California, he was able to power The Bucs are hoping he will Winston after exiting his student through opposing offensive lines with conduct code hearing relative ease, finishing his career outgrow his indiscretions, but he has with 21 sacks, or tackles, on a way to go. After it was announced quarterback. Williams is he was the top draft pick, Winston agile for his size posted a photo to his Instagram THE BUCS ARE (1.95m and 136kg) account of him celebrating with none and will improve an already CONFIDENT THEY strong Jets defensive line. other than a plate of the same infamous seafood Look for their defence to he had stolen two years before. Poor off-field carry the Jets this season. decisions by its players has forced the NFL to CAN CURB WINSTON’S Marcus Mariota crack down on bad behaviour, which doesn’t bode POOR ON-FIELD Tennessee Titans well for Winston if he fails to change his ways. quarterback Last year, the Cleveland Browns took a risk DECISION-MAKING. In 2014, University of Oregon’s in using their first-round pick to select Manziel, Mariota was named college who went on to have an abysmal rookie season BUT WHAT ABOUT football’s MVP, and with good reason. Not only is he an accurate that ended with a 10-week stint in rehab. While passer, but his speed makes him it is easy to see the similarities between Winston HIS FAULTS OFF a threat to pick up yards on the and Manziel – both are talented quarterbacks run. Some scouts worry that he with character issues – there is a major THE FIELD? lacks the confidence to lead a pro difference between the two. rookie season it seems unlikely the team team, but the second overall pick Some within the Browns organisation will improve enough to make the play-offs, has the requisite size (1.93m, 100kg) and physical skills to be have said that Manziel struggled from lack let alone win the Super Bowl. But maybe an NFL quarterback. The Titans of commitment. Winston does not seem to have a few years down the line? open their season against the that problem. In fact, Bucs head coach Lovie George Whitfield, a quarterback coach Bucs on 13 September, so fans Smith told ESPN that the biggest problem he has who has worked with NFL superstars like Cam will not have to wait long to encountered with Winston so far is that he works Newton and Andrew Luck, certainly thinks it’s see how the top two draft picks too hard. ‘We have to tell him when to leave,’ a possibility. ‘Winston will have played in, if not match up. Smith told reporters at Bucs’ rookie camp. won, a Super Bowl,’ Whitfield told CBS Sports Amari Cooper The $25-million (R314-million) the Bucs when asked where he sees Winston five years Oakland Raiders are paying Winston over the next five years is from now. ‘I don’t think that’s a stretch.’ wide receiver not the only thing Smith and general Cooper, picked fourth overall, manager Jason Licht have on the is able to catch passes in the line, though. If things go sour middle of the field. That is key for the Raiders as their existing receivers for their rookie quarterback favour the sidelines. He doesn’t this season, it is likely have enormous size (1.85m, 96kg) or their jobs will a Foschini Group gift incredible speed, but Cooper led college come under threat. card worth R2 500! football in catches during his final season In 2014 the Bucs All SportsClub members at the University of Alabama and finished with a will be automatically entered into selected scouts agree he has the skills to competitions in the magazine. Every month succeed as a pro. With Cooper terrible record of there will be a random draw. Winners need on the field and new head coach two wins and to be active members of SportsClub to qualify. Jack del Rio on the sidelines, 14 losses, and The competitions close on 30 September 2015. things are looking up in Oakland. in Winston’s PHOTOS: JONATHAN DANIEL/HOLLIS BENNETT/STREETER LECKA/JEFF GAMMONS/GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES PHOTOS: JONATHAN

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