Yesterday it was reported that Jameis Winston‘s father said no decision on the Florida State quarterback’s future would be made until after the national championship game this coming Monday. A day later? Forget about it. Pretend it never happened.
Sourcing again Winston’s father, David Hale of ESPN.com is reporting that the player will indeed forego his final two seasons of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft this year. Antonor Winston said his son reached a final decision Tuesday night.
While it had been thought entering the 2014 season it would be his last, there had been a shift of opinion exiting it that saw the potential for a return.
That apparently won’t be the case. From ESPN.com‘s report:
Winston will end his Seminoles career as the 2013 Heisman winner and a quarterback who was 26-1 as a starter, with one of those wins coming in the BCS title game at the end of the 2013 season. His lone loss came in what turned out to be his last game, a 59-20 loss to Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
While his on-field success was legendary, so too were his off-field “issues.” How he navigates those obstacles will go a long way in determining where he’s taken in the upcoming draft.
The elder Winston stated that he received a first-round grade from the NFL’s draft advisory board. It’s thought that Winston will likely be one of the first two quarterbacks selected, and could possibly go first overall. Again, depending on how the maturity and character questions are answered in the run-up to the draft.