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Jameis Winston: Five reasons he is the next great QB in the NFL

By John Buhler

Nov 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) throws against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) throws against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 24, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA;Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) warms up on the field before the start of an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA;Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) warms up on the field before the start of an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

5. The Big Ben Comparisons

Sometimes a highly-touted quarterback draws unfair comparisons to one of the best to ever play the game. When Jameis Winston declared for the 2015 NFL Draft, scouts believed that his stature and arm talent were very reminiscent to Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Big Ben had made a living as one of the toughest quarterbacks to ever play the game. He takes a beating playing for the Steelers, but nearly always has his club in contention for an AFC North Division title. Winston too is big-bodied like Roethlisberger. At 6’4″, 232 pounds, Winston has the ideal build of what it takes to play quarterback at the NFL level.

He can take the punishment of a collapsing pocket and still deliver a strong aerial strike to one of his many talented receiving targets. It is important to play both a loose and a fearless brand of football at quarterback in the NFL. Like Roethlisberger, Winston seems to have the ability to play that way already as a rookie.

Roethlisberger came on strong as a rookie in the great quarterback draft class of 2004 (Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Roethlisberger). Winston is beginning to emerge as a lead candidate for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Visually, Winston naturally plays in a similar style of Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl Champion for the winningest franchise in NFL history. The comparisons to Roethlisberger are both uncanny and justifiable. This bodes well for Winston’s future development as an NFL passer.

Next: 4. Strong NFC South Quarterbacks

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