The New York Jets are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. After six combined years of Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith, they may have the opportunity to finally get one in the 2015 NFL draft.
It's possible that Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston could still be on the board when the Jets pick at No. 6. There is no guarantee of Winston falling that far or of him being the real deal once he reaches the NFL, but New York has to examine all available options.
"After Winston's brutal performance in [the] Rose Bowl, he could slip to the Jets at No. 6," Newsday's Bob Glauber wrote. "...Now the question is: Do the Jets take Winston if he's there and thus accept the high risk-reward that he represents? Or do they take a safer prospect at a different position and come back to another quarterback in a later round...?"
Glauber is right to note the boom-or-bust potential of Winston. On one hand, he comes from a pro-style offense in which he demonstrated above-average pocket awareness and field vision while winning the 2013 Heisman Trophy and the National Title. Winston lost just one game in his two years as FSU's starter and has prototypical size (6-4, 230 pounds) and athleticism for the quarterback position.
On the other hand, off-field concerns about his character and maturity have followed him since the start of the 2013 season. The Jets will have to weigh both his pros and highly-publicized cons to determine if he is capable and worthy of being the face of the franchise in the country's most demanding media market.
"If the Jets are sitting there at No. 6 and Winston still is on the board, there will be a major temptation to see Winston as the answer to their problems at quarterback," Glauber wrote. "But as we've seen too often in the past with teams in need of a quarterback, there is a risk of reaching too high.
"...The lesson here: You can't wish away significant flaws with a quarterback just because you need one and take him with a first-round pick."
Glauber argues that the Jets should err on the side of caution and take a safer pick such as Alabama's Amari Cooper. But if scouts determine that Winston can develop into a franchise QB, can the Jets really afford to pass on him?
