Jameis Winston, a Florida State standout with a checkered off-field history, was projected to be the No. 1 pick ahead of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Buccaneers took him first, and picked him ahead of Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman winner whose Oregon Ducks defeated Winston in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
More importantly, Mariota had zero off-field question marks.
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Those concerns haven't cropped up in the Bucs' training camp this year, according to fellow rookie Ali Marpet, a second-round offensive lineman out of Division III Hobart. In an exclusive talk with Sports World News, Marpet had high praise for Winston, whom Bucs fans are counting on to turn the team around.
"Jameis, he likes winning more than any guy I've met, honestly," Marpet said.
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That could be a problem in Tampa Bay, where the Bucs won two games last season, leading to them having the top pick in the first place.
"As far as last year, I think everyone agrees that it was unacceptable, so going forward we've got to go out and make improvements," Marpet added.
Winston's upbeat persona could be just what the Bucs need to turn their fortunes around. Marpet described Winston as an uplifting presence, which is important because even though Tampa Bay won just two games last year, the division winner (Carolina) wasn't even a .500 team (7-9).
"He's definitely a positive guy to be around, and typically you want that in the huddle," Marpet said. "You also want someone who is working hard off the field as well, studying tape and all that stuff which he absolutely is."
Winston will have several high-end weapons around him in the passing game, which is a luxury most No. 1 picks don't have. Second-year wide receiver Mike Evans and veteran Vincent Jackson form one of the tallest receiving duos in the NFL, while second-year tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins could be on the verge of a breakout season.
"I can see first-hand how athletic these guys are and I know it's going to show up in the stat categories," Marpet said.
Marpet should contribute, too. He's slotted in as the Buccaneers' starting right guard for 2015 per Rosterresource.com.
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