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2015 NFL Draft: The Top 5 Draft-Eligible Quarterbacks

By Ryan Phillips

Oct 18, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) warms up before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) warms up before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 11, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) drops back to pass against the Syracuse Orange during the third quarter at the Carrier Dome. Florida State defeated Syracuse 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) drops back to pass against the Syracuse Orange during the third quarter at the Carrier Dome. Florida State defeated Syracuse 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Jameis Winston, Florida State

This ranking is based solely on talent because, if I was an NFL executive right now, Winston would be off my draft board due to his numerous off-field problems and for repeatedly showing poor judgement. Strictly from looking at film and analyzing his on-field abilities, I have to make Winston my second-ranked quarterback in this draft.

Winston has the size (6’4″ and 230 pounds) and talent to be an NFL signal-caller for a long time. There is no doubting his natural abilities as a passer and an on-field leader. The redshirt sophomore and reigning Heisman Trophy winner is a natural passer. His vision and ability to make something happen when plays break down are both rare. He also makes great decisions with the football. For a guy who has only been eligible for one-and-a-half seasons, he already has 20 collegiate starts, so he has a ton of experience for his age.

So far this season Winston has completed 70.6 percent of his passes for 1,878 yards, with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has added two rushing touchdowns.

Winston is athletic, but he’s not a runner and isn’t particularly fast. His footwork in the pocket can get sloppy and when facing pressure he tends to throw off his back foot. He has a bit of a long delivery and I’m sure whichever team drafts him will want to shorten it a bit.

The 20-year-old has good, not great arm strength but he can make all the necessary throws. That said, he tends to float his deep balls on occasion, which makes them hang up a bit too long. That’s something he can get away with in college but will need to clean up at the next level.

The fact that Winston throws off his back foot tends to hurt his accuracy, and his ball placement isn’t great. His overall accuracy is solid, but he’s not laser-sharp with this throws and he’ll have to fix that moving forward. He has an outstanding supporting cast at Florida State, so he has been bailed out with his lack of accuracy at times.

One area of concern is the fact that Winston is a big, strong guy but his body isn’t toned and he appears to be carrying some bad weight. That suggests a lack of commitment in the weight room and is yet another thing he has to work on.

Despite all the major red flags with Winston, there is no questioning his football IQ, competitiveness and his ability to stand in the pocket and spray darts all over the field. He needs a major makeover off the field, but between the lines of a football field the guy is fantastic.

As things stand now, someone will definitely roll the dice on him during the first day of the 2015 NFL Draft.

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