The NFL Draft remains the second-largest event on the NFL calendar, behind the Super Bowl. Like it or not, it also remains one of the biggest things that fans and media enjoy going back and analyzing to see “what could have been.”
Pro Football Focus has done a good job this offseason by launching a re-draft series, which we have been tracking here on Bucs Wire. In their latest draft, they looked back on, it just so happens to be one of the more impactful ones in recent memory for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise: The 2015 NFL Draft.
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In this draft, the Bucs had originally drafted quarterback Jameis Winston first overall in hopes he would be the franchise leader for years to come. That didn’t pan out, so where does the former top overall pick land if he goes in the first round at all?
Well, he didn’t stay in Florida, but he didn’t have far to travel. Sikkema has the Houston Texans selecting Winston with the 16th overall pick in the draft. He writes, “Houston desperately needed a franchise quarterback after Matt Schaub’s decline and departure in 2013. Ryan Fitzpatrick provided a solid 2014 season but left for New York afterward. The best option in the 2015 draft was Jameis Winston, who posted a 74.1 passing grade and 112 big-time throws over five seasons as Tampa Bay’s starter. Unfortunately, he also recorded the second-highest turnover-worthy play rate among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 dropbacks. Perhaps he could have fared better in a different environment.”
Perhaps Bill O’Brien would have been the coach to have Jameis Winston play his best football; we will never know. Also, Houston would have had a great defense to back up Winston, which also would have helped matters.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Who lands former Bucs pick Jameis Winston land in 2015 NFL re-draft?