NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell is a player-evaluation maven.
He's the go-to-source for player breakdowns and overall skill-set appraisal, both for guys already in the league and those looking to make the jump from college to the big show.
While no one's word is absolute bond when it comes to something as uncertain and difficult as projecting a college athlete's ability to translate their talents to the professional level, Cosell may be the only film-watching prognosticator who actually approaches near-certainty.
That's why it's so notable that Cosell, while appearing on a recent ESPN Radio broadcast with Colin Cowherd, as transcribed by Scout.com's Justin Pawlowski, absolutely raved about the pro prospects of former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.
"In the two games I watched [on film], I thought he was rather impressive," Cosell said.
Winston, viewed by many as a top selection in the coming 2015 NFL Draft, is also widely seen as a somewhat questionable bet at the next level and a draft second fiddle to Oregon quarterback and Heisman-winner Marcus Mariota.
To hear Cosell tell it, though, Winston has many of the traits necessary to make himself a top-tier starter in the NFL.
"I really liked what I saw," Cosell said of Winston. "I think he's the kid with the instincts of a pocket passer. He's strong in the pocket. He reads coverage. At times he's a little reckless and careless with his decision making, so you have to decide if that will carry over and what you can teach there. He's a confident thrower, so he'll throw it into windows."
"I thought what he really showed, it's so important as you transition to the NFL, is he showed natural anticipation," Cosell said. "In two games I watched, I must have seen five or six really good anticipation throws before receivers came out of breaks. That's critical."
Cosell watched Winston in FSU victories over Notre Dame and Louisville. In the Louisville game, Winston played one of the worst halves of his entire college career against the Cardinals - he threw three interceptions and no touchdowns prior to the game's intermission - before leading the Seminoles to a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
Cosell was still impressed.
"The skill set is clearly there. He's got potentially high-level traits and attributes to play NFL quarterback," Cosell said.
That's wonderful news for franchise quarterback-needy teams like the Bucs, Titans, Jets and Redksins looking to land their future franchise signal caller in April's draft.
