Jameis Winston has been a polarizing presence since he stepped into the national spotlight. His success with the Florida State Seminoles has been mirrored by his struggles in the NFL.
Before all that, Winston was a quarterback at Hueytown High School in Alabama, and his highlights show a master at work.
Jameis Winston in High School
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Originally from Bessemer, Alabama, Winston became well-known for his on-field accomplishments with Hueytown's football team. His deep ball looks sharp, and his poise as a passer can't be questioned.
Winston's final high school stats are ridiculous: over a four-year career, he generated 6,871 passing yards and threw 67 touchdowns against just 25 interceptions. He participated in ESPN's Elite 11 championship and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year.
Of course, Winston had a budding career on the baseball team if he wanted to pursue it. He was one of the best players in the Birmingham area and even got drafted by MLB's Texas Rangers.
In the end, Winston ultimately chose to commit to head coach Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles.
Jameis Winston at Florida State
Winston chose FSU over prestigious programs like Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Miami, and Stanford. Ultimately, he chose correctly.
The Seminoles allowed him to start as a freshman, and Winston ran with it. He threw for 40 touchdowns en route to a Heisman Trophy and BCS National Championship victory against Auburn.
His sophomore year was much more up and down on the field, to say nothing of his "crab legs" fiasco. His FSU career ended in the College Football Playoff semifinals, after which the All-American declared for the NFL Draft with lofty expectations surrounding him.
Jameis Winston in the NFL
To celebrate his 26th birthday...
EVERY 2019 TD pass by Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston! @jaboowins @Buccaneers | #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/KbmW1wJtM9
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2020
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately needed a quarterback and took Winston with the 2015's first-overall pick.
Winston made his debut against the second-overall pick, Marcus Mariota, and his Tennessee Titans. With the Bucs, Winston showed flashes of brilliance but often looked lost.
His 2019 statline was a microcosm of his career: he led the league in both passing yards and interceptions.
This is Jameis Winston's third straight game with an opening drive INT ?
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/cFBxffDklL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 21, 2019
When Tom Brady became available, Tampa Bay moved on from Winston, who latched on with the New Orleans Saints.
Jameis Winston may not be the quarterback that leads your favorite team to a Super Bowl, but his arm talent is still there. If he can ever return to his high school form, he will experience a career renaissance, but that is much easier said than done.
