Originally Posted by kccrow
(Post 11252824)
Winston is better on the field than Mariota in my opinion, but man does he have some major character flags. Scary to pick him at #1. I'd probably pick Mariota at #1.
As for if Winston falls to #18... well... I'm not privy to all the information the Chiefs will be able to retrieve about him. From a pure talent standpoint, I'd run to the podium with a card that reads "Jameis Winston" singing kumbaya in a thong. With all the character issues, its a tough decision. That said, he is a QB with some serious talent, and someone is going to take the chance he cleans it up.
I'm going to talk a bit about the rape...
What we can say about the rape allegations is that we know as much as we don't. We know he had sex with the accuser. What we don't know is if it is or isn't consensual. They were both out drinking. That is one of those fine-line events that are difficult for me to say, "yep he's guilty" as much as it is for me to say "she's a liar." The truth is usually somewhere in the middle. You drink, you lose inhibitions, you do stupid things. That may have been true for one or both of the parties to this allegation. Its not that clear cut when there isn't physical proof that he forced her to have sex or where there no evidence that she was in an incapacitated state, rendered helpless. They are adults, and that is the dividing line for me. If she was drunk and had sex with him, and regretted it, that isn't his fault. If she was forced or wasn't physically able to resist, then that is his fault.
There is mention in the original police report that the accuser had "no obvious signs of external injury but as the investigation went on several bruises began to appear on the victim." Another report discloses bruising on the left knee and right elbow, but no mention of bruises elsewhere. Knee and elbow, could have just as well been from her falling down drunk. I wouldn't be able to say in a court of law that I believe he produced the bruises on her given the reports.
Onto the proposed assault, there are so many holes and discrepancies in the reports. The reports initially indicate that "she allowed him to undress her, but when he started having intercourse with her she told him to stop and he wouldn't." Okay, why would you allow someone to take your clothes off if you have no intent of sexual intercourse? She also mentions "his roommate came in and told him to stop, and so then he took her to the bathroom and locked the door," which has not been corroborated. In fact, Casher and Darby give conflicting statements that the accuser and Winston performed oral sex on one another before she closes the door on them.
She goes on to state that "she lied on the bed while he put her clothes back on." What rape victim does that? She then states that "she allows him to give her a ride home on his scooter." Again, what rape victim does that?
The reports also state that she said she had "5 drinks and 1 shot." However, she supposedly can't recall several events and circumstances throughout the evening. I've been out with many a lightweight female drinkers, and I've never seen one in a condition where she can't recall events after 6 drinks over the course of a few hours. Maybe getting a bit on the tipsy side, but not knowing what is going on and being aware of her surroundings. There are too many "are you serious" type of questions that I have regarding her statement.
Now to defend her side for only a brief moment, and you'll see why later. She did report the incident about an hour after she got home to police, which means she was at least in the mindset immediately that she was raped. It wasn't one of those woke up the next day with him by my side and regret it kind of things. It didn't seem like some sort of act of vengeance nor was there any reason to believe she could be seeking monetary damage rewards of any significance. Also, rape reports are legitimate far more often than they are not. If I were to believe her side, I'd have to think she had way too much to drink or was drugged and, therefore, wasn't really aware of what was going on and he took advantage of that situation.
And now for the crucial factor in my mind... the real home run for either side, sort of speak... If what she says in the reports is legitimate and true, then it appears that she must have been drugged. If not drugged, she must have been insanely intoxicated. She says she had 5 drinks with vodka from a friend and then 1 shot from some random person in the bar. She states that she couldn't remember much after taking that shot. All these things happen and she really doesn't recall much. She's raped in this "stupor." Now, her toxicology reports state that she was neither drunk nor drugged. She had a blood alcohol level of 0.048, which doesn't even qualify for a borderline DUI. To be in the state she claims, her blood alcohol would have had to have been at least around 0.20 or higher. The report also states that she did not test positive for "amphetamines, antidepressants, antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, carisoprodol, cocaine, GHB, methadone, opiates, oxycodone, propoxyphene, and other drugs." So if she wasn't really drunk and she wasn't drugged, then how is she unable to recollect events, nor make a very serious attempt to resist rape?
So... All that long-winded information I just provided is to say that I do not believe Jameis Winston raped that woman. There isn't really evidence to support her claim, and the DA made the same determination.
Now, aside from the rape, I can really look past the other childish behavior issues he had. I was young and in college once too, and I was no saint either. The deciding factor has to be whether or not you think the kid has problems handling women and maybe some issues with booze.
All that said, being in a place like KC with a coach like Reid might not be a bad situation for Winston. Having a QB mentor like Smith, who is intelligent and diligent, that could be a good situation for Winston.
Would I draft him at 18? You bet your ass I would.
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