Randy Smith
As usual, there is not a lot of mystery regarding the number one choice in the NFL Draft which is set for April 30. Former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston seems to be everybody's choice for the top spot, which means the draft experts and front office people feel he is ready to be an NFL quarterback on the field. As far as being ready to be an NFL player off the field, well.....that is still in question.
It seems that David Cornwell, who represented Winston during his many legal problems while he was in Tallahassee, is one who doesn't feel young Jameis has matured enough for that responsibility.
"He's ready to be an NFL player on the field, but he's not ready to be an NFL player off the field," Cornwell said. "I don't think that anyone is ready. No one is ready for this (NFL) world when they come into it."
Cornwell should know. He has been Winston's attorney through a sexual assault allegation, a bb gun fight, shoplifting crab legs from a grocery store, and shouting obscenities from the top of a table on campus at FSU.
There has never been a question about Jameis Winston's talent. He set the freshman mark with 4,097 yards and 40 touchdown passes as he won the Heisman Trophy leading the Seminoles to the National Championship in 2013. His numbers dropped considerably in 2014, but that has been attributed to losing his two top receivers and his top two running backs. He has turned in some impressive performances in the NFL combines and pro days over the last few weeks, and now seems to be ready for the next step.
Several weeks ago, Winston met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for close to five hours as they discussed his past, and what he wants for his future. I'm sure he made a good impression on Goodell and a few others. That's the way these things work, but there is still one underlying problem. The things that Winston did are more from a sense of entitlement rather than immaturity; i.e., feelings of 'even if you catch me, I'll get away with it because my people have my back.'
Jameis Winston likely never thought he would get caught after stealing the crab legs which is such a minor infraction. But if he did indeed rape the young woman back in 2013, and he felt the same way about not getting caught, he still has some deep-seeded problems.
I hope that Jameis Winston is telling the truth. I hope he really didn't rape that young woman and I hope he is truly sorry for the other things he's done. I also hope he can put his past behind him, and become a great NFL quarterback. The media scrutiny will be almost incomprehensible. He won't be able to go anywhere or do anything without reporters and photographers watching his every move.
Attorney David Cornwell went on to say, "We have to assist him in growing and developing as a man, and it's not going to be easy. If he messes up again, he's done."
Ready or not NFL, here he comes.
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. He is currently teaching Broadcasting at Coahulla Creek High School near Dalton, Ga.
His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for thirty years.
He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga Television for more than a quarter-century.
In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, (Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith.) They have four grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, DellaMae and CoraLee.