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Buccaneers fans really seem to want Jameis Winston

By Nathaniel Reeves

Mar 31, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston throws during FSU Football Pro Day at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston throws during FSU Football Pro Day at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s becoming increasingly likely that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will grant the wishes of their fan base.

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Fans of the team with the No.1 overall pick tend to be extremely vocal in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ fan base has made it pretty clear who it wants the team to select.

According to a report by Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay fans lobbied for quarterback Jameis Winston at a forum with head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht.

Cummings notes that the crowd wasn’t shy at all in its support for Winston.

"Winston’s mere appearance in the brief video clip that kicked off the team-sponsored Front Office Forum in the East Club of Raymond James Stadium sparked a raucous round of applause, the first and perhaps loudest of the evening."

It’s easy to see why Tampa Bay fans support taking Winston with the first overall pick. Winston led nearby Florida State to a national title and could certainly breathe some life into a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2002.

More importantly, drafting Winston is the right move for the team.

Taking the best player available is usually the correct call, and Winston is one of the few in this draft that could have an argument to that title. The Buccaneers are in a position as a team where they have to take a potential franchise quarterback, making Winston and Marcus Mariota the only likely top two selections.

Mariota has some incredible skills, including speed that no other quarterback can hope to match, but there are going to be a few questions about how his game will translate to the NFL. Winston is the safer prospect (on the field, anyway) and has the skill set to be a pro quarterback.

Winston’s ability to progress through his reads and arm strength are already ready for the next level, while he’s got the size of an NFL quarterback at 6-4, 231 pounds. His decision-making suffered some uncharacteristic lapses in 2014, but he’s proven to have a strong football IQ and an NFL coaching staff should be able to fix that.

The concern with Winston stems from multiple off the field incidents, which range from stupid pranks to very serious allegations that never resulted in charges. Any team investing so much value in Winston would have vetted him very thoroughly, so Tampa Bay would deserve the benefit of the doubt in that case.

All signs and rumors are indicating that the Buccaneers will indeed draft Winston with the first overall pick. This time, the fans will get their wish.

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