1. Jameis Winston, Florida State
Arguably the only completely NFL-ready QB in this year’s draft, Winston is one of the most talented and high-ceiling prospect since Andrew Luck in 2012. In just two seasons with the FSU Seminoles, Winston led his team to two straight ACC Championships and won the BCS National Championship Game over Auburn as a freshman. For his career, Winston had 65 passing TDs and just shy of 8,000 passing yards. He isn’t a mobile QB in the mold of a Colin Kaepernick or Ryan Tannehill, but he has pocket mobility and is extremely hard to tackle in the pocket. And with the size and strength of a linebacker and the arm strength of a perennial All-Pro, Winston has the ability to become a franchise QB for whichever team drafts him.
Winston is not without his concerns though. In his second season as the FSU starter, Winston threw 18 INTs and was one of the most turnover prone QBs in the power conferences. But his occasional on-the-field struggles pale in comparison to his off-the-field troubles. Character was a major issue while he was at college: he was accused of shoplifting crab legs from a store, was suspended from a game for shouting profanities at the FSU student center, but most notably, he was accused of sexual assault (an accusation that would not result in any charges due to lack of evidence).
Projection: Top 2 overall
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