Jameis Winston is going first in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft for ESPN.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has long been the gold standard for NFL mock drafts (and for impossible hair). There’s a very good chance that when you think of mock drafts, you think of Mel Kiper.
With the NFL combine having taken place two weeks ago, Kiper has once again taken stock of the draft prospects and has released the third version of his highly-read mock drafts.
For the third straight time, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is his projected number one pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kiper notes that the Buccaneers, who have the first pick, had Winston in for a highly unusual multi-day pre-draft visit with owners and coaches. Kiper writes of Winston, “He’s the most NFL-ready QB in the draft. He’s big, durable, strong-armed and has both a high football IQ and an ability to read, anticipate and process at a very high level what defenses are trying to do. This is no lock, but it makes sense.”
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We won’t spoil the rest of it, or take away ESPN’s Insider money; if you have an Insider account, you can read the full mock draft here.
If you’re not an Insider but you still want to read a mock draft (or even if you are one), Fansided has its own post-combine mock here. Fansided’s mock draft also has Winston at number one, and includes potential trades while Kiper’s does not.
The battle for the number one pick will almost certainly be either Winston or Oregon QB Marcus Mariota; and it increasingly seems that Winston is the favorite to be chosen by the Buccaneers. In some ways it’s not surprising; Winston is a singular talent, a Florida product, and an NFL-ready QB. On the other hand, his off-field issues have to be mentioned, and there are still those who believe character concerns could derail his career.
With the draft taking place in May for the second straight year, there will be plenty of time to speculate, and plenty of mock drafts to read. It always seems that things manage to change significantly between February and May, despite the fact that no one in the draft is playing any football in that time.
Winston seems like an increasingly likely choice at number one; but we won’t know anything for sure until the fans are finished booing Roger Goodell and the draft officially begins.
Next: New York Jets expected to release Percy Harvin
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