Phoenix, AZ-- Bucs' head coach Lovie Smith hinted strongly on Wednesday, that the Bucs are leaning toward FSU QB Jameis Winston as their No. 1 draft choice.
That question was posed to Smith by reporters, and his response was: "I wouldn't say that's an erroneous assumption."
Smith said GM Jason Licht and the rest of the Bucs front office have spoken to "lots" of people close to Winston o get a better feel for the young man. He said Winston admitted to making mistakes, but Smith feels they were mistakes of youth, and the Bucs have enough people in the clubhouse plus former FSU Seminole and Buc Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks to keep him from making bad decisions.
"You have to do your research to see if it's a pattern that will continue," Lovie Smith told reporters at the NFL owners' meetings. "Or if you think, is a situation where the young man is ready to mature, and not make those same decisions. ... We feel like he's in a position where he's made some mistakes, and made a few after that, but we feel that is behind him... that's why we feel comfortable with him right now."
The next key day for Jameis Winston, will be next Tuesday, his pro day in Tallahassee.
