Early Impressions of 2015 NFL Draft Picks 1-5

Jun 16, 2015; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) throws a pass during minicamp at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Jameis Winston

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith isn’t wasting with the No. 1 pick of the 2015 draft. He’s already named him the starter for the season and instead of coddling him, he’s challenging him to be great. He and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier have been drawing up complex blitzes and a variety of pass coverages against him.

So while the Buc’s defensive players are being prepared, Winston is being challenged on every snap. That’s why Winston was intercepted on two of his first three pass attempts in his first 11-on-11 period of his first padded practice Tuesday. And after, Winston told USA Today, “It’s just new. You’re going to make mistakes. The thing is to bounce back and keep moving forward.”

The objective is to expose Winston to different looks while teaching him to walk the thin line of being careful and aggressive. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said, “A gunslinger mentality is good. What we have to also have though is great judgment, because turnovers get you beat.

“So that’s the fine line. We all have seen those quarterbacks that are going to check it down every time no matter what. We don’t want that either, because turnovers get you beat the fastest but explosive plays help you win the fastest. It’s a fine line right there; we’re working on it.”

Next: Marcus Mariota