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Jameis Winston wants to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By Cameron La Fontaine

Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes the ball during the second half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes the ball during the second half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jameis Winston said Friday in his NFL combine press conference that he wants to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the first overall pick. 

Jameis Winston has been filled with charisma in his NFL combine debut and he hasn’t shied away from saying what’s really on his mind. He plans on winning the Super Bowl as a rookie, and he wants the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to draft him first overall.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft after their disappointing 2-14 2014 season, but they still have weapons that can make them a good team including breakout wide receiver Mike Evans, who is 6’5 and finished with 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns despite a bad quarterback situation in Tampa.

The Bucs had two starters last year in Mike Glennon and Josh McCown and they’ve already released McCown, as they’re likely to use their first pick in order to take a quarterback. But, the question is, who does Tampa take? Marcus Mariota out of Oregon or Jameis Winston out of Florida State.

Winston has jumped to the top of most mock drafts despite only throwing 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in an undefeated regular season before getting destroyed by Oregon 59-20 in the 2015 Rose Bowl game.

Mariota finished with 42 touchdowns and just four interceptions in his final year at Oregon and dropped out as the top pick in most mock drafts after he struggled in the CFP Championship, losing 42-20 against Ohio State. Mariota still threw for 333 yards and 2 TDs in the game with one interception, but scouts say that drops his stock, somehow, despite not having his best wide receiver and a weak offensive line.

Winston made it very clear Friday that he wants to be that first overall pick that he’s projected to be.

“I think it would be a privilege to play in Tampa, period, with the Florida State fan base and everything I have been involved with in the state of Florida. Coach Smith speaking highly of me, that already lets me know I’m a part of their program,” Winston said. “I already have a trust factor in with him, and now all I have to do is accept his trust and gain his trust to help him out.”

“(Being the first pick) is important to me because I know how hard I’ve worked. It would be a privilege to be accepted by the Glazer family in Tampa,” Winston said.

Here’s an interesting stat:

Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy, college football’s highest honor, in 2013 as a freshman when he led Florida State to an undefeated championship season after defeating Auburn 34-31 in the 2014 (2013 season) BCS National Championship Game. He threw for 40 touchdowns and 10 picks in that year.

It’s still up in the air what Tampa will do with the pick, but they have quite the tough decision in front of them in a tight race between Winston and Mariota.

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