The returning Heisman Trophy Winner, and National Champion Jameis Winston has been in his fair share of bad news. Winston faced allegations of sexual assault last year, and since then he was questioned more about the sexual assault case due to an alleged botched investigation. Winston was also seen stealing crab legs on camera at a grocery store, also a suspension when he channeled his inner…..while being on campus.
And now there are allegations that he may have signed some autographs for a professional company that may have paid him. Winston seems to be in the middle of a lot of negativity. I don’t know if any of the allegations are true, but Winston has to be aware that he is an instant target no matter if he is innocent or guilty. In this day and age with social media the perception is that you are guilty until proven innocent.
It sounds unfair, but that’s the harsh reality of what it’s like to be a star on any level of sports. I can take a guess that Jameis Winston is buying his time in College Football, until he is able to enter the NFL Draft after the end of the college football season. Winston, has the ability on the field to be a top prospect, but his off the field antics will place a dark cloud over his draft status. A lot of good or bad can happen between now and April, but if Winston wants to be taken seriously in the NFL he will have to grow up quick.
In the NFL, the quarterback is expected to be the face of the franchise and the leader of the team. In college the coach normally takes that role, but in the NFL it’s a whole different ball game. Quarterbacks are always held to a higher standard, because they are relied on so heavily, and it’s up to Winston to prove that he is up for the challenge. We all know that he can do great things on the field, but on a day-to-day basis you spend more time off of the field, and that’s where the problems lie. I truly believe that it would benefit Winston to have a mentor of some sort to help guide him along the way.
Each Saturday it is a given that Winston will throw two or more touchdowns while leading the Seminoles to victory, but the other six days of the week — Winston has to prove that he can be just as good as he is while he is on the field. The microscope is on Winston, and it isn’t going anywhere until his name is called at the NFL Draft. The current state of the NFL is already under a lot of scrutiny. This year’s draft will probably be one of the biggest one’s that harp on character. The NFL already have enough clowns playing the game, and they surely don’t need another one. Winston is a great product on the field, but I hope that he can become a better citizen off the field, before it’s too late.
