Michael Vick Says Jameis Winston Is The 'Future Of The NFL' 

New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick had some kind words for embattled Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who could very well end up with New York in the draft. Here's what Vick had to say, via NJ.com:

"I think he's a great player," Vick said Friday in the Jets' locker room. "I've been around so long, I appreciate guys coming out of college. I look forward to watching him. I have high expectations for him. I think he, over time, has made some poor decisions. Have I been there to know exactly what happened? No.

"But I do know one thing: He may make some poor decisions, but he gets on that football field and he plays his ass off. Yeah, he can mature. He'll mature. I see him maturing as time goes on. Like, this year hasn't been as bad of a year as the first year was for Jameis. I think the kid will continue to improve. I think he's the future of the NFL."

This is an interesting position for Vick. By all accounts, he's become a model citizen since his dog fighting arrest and jail stint. In many ways, he's become a poster for rehabilitation. It was Vick who was willing to forgive Riley Cooper when the latter was suspended from the Eagles for yelling "nigger" at a concert.

Standing up for Winston is a hard sell, though. Not many people can earn goodwill by defending the college star. Conflating Winston's sexual assault charge code of conduct investigation, the criminal case of which was botched by the Tallahassee police department as a result of the embarrassing systematic protection of FSU athletes, with immaturity is not exactly a nuanced view of the case. But Vick's certainly right about one thing — Winston is a great player, and he will get drafted early. His future could end up being Vick's past.

[ NJ.com]

Photo via AP