How good was Jameis Winston at NFL Combine 2015? Saints QB received heap of praise from several team executives
Jameis Winston entered the 2015 NFL Draft as the highest-rated quarterback prospect in his draft class after an outstanding college football career. He spent two years as the starting quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles, where he put together an incredible 26-1 overall record.
He was also selected as an All-American and won the Heisman Trophy, so his hype was clearly justified.
When Winston arrived at the 2015 NFL Combine to show off his skills for the draft process, most scouts had little doubt about his physical abilities. While his incredible career spoke for itself on the field, he also possessed the large frame and big arm that's often desired for a quarterback prospect. It came as no surprise that he was extremely impressive in almost all of the tested drills.
One major question surrounding Jameis Winston entering the 2015 NFL Draft was more about his attitude and personality than his skillset. He was involved in several controversial situations off the field during his college career, including thievery and sexual misconduct allegations.
Many scouts were more interested in the interviewing process with Winston than the on-field work at the combine.
The quarterback apparently performed better than expected during the 2015 NFL Combine interviews, according to several scouts and team executives. Many praised his character and impressive intelligence about the game of football.
One staff member had this glowing praise for Winston:
"I think he's probably the smartest player I've ever interviewed. Ever. Football IQ as good as I've ever seen."
Several scouts reportedly compared his football to Peyton Manning, one of the greatest offensive minds in NFL history. He also apparently answered all of the difficult questions about his questionable behavior to the satisfaction of most of the scouts interviewing him.
Jameis Winston claimed after the process that nothing was difficult about answering any of those questions because he was as honest as possible.
Winston on whether interviews with teams were tough: "It wasn't tough at all. I was just being real."
The QB satisfied scouts well enough to relatively put his past behind him, having been selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His incredible potential and high ratings as a prospect have shone several times during his NFL career so far.
Has Jameis Winston lived up to his hype as the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft?
Jameis Winston has had mixed results as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He has exceeded 4,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns in three of his five seasons with the Buccaneers.
This includes a massively polarizing 2019 NFL season, where he led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards but also led the league with 30 interceptions.
When his rookie contract expired, the Buccaneers decided to move on from him and sign veteran Tom Brady. Winston then joined the New Orleans Saints, serving as a backup for Drew Brees for two years. He earned the opportunity to be a starter in 2021 following Brees' retirement.
Jameis Winston opened the 2021 NFL season with an impressive 5-2 record with 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions before an injury ended his year early. He appeared to be back on the right track, but has been unable to regain momentum since the injury.
He patiently awaits another opportunity at being a starting quarterback and potentially erasing the 'bust' label of a former number-one pick that never quite lived up to it.