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Although Jameis Winston is a Heisman Trophy winner and has his Florida State Seminoles in the College Football Playoff, his NFL draft stock has taken a few hits as off-field issues have often overshadowed his incredible play. Former Colts coach Tony Dungy said in September that he wouldn’t draft Winston, and it remains to be seen if Winston will enter the 2015 draft or choose to remain at Florida State for another season (and potentially improve his standing with NFL teams).

The New York Jets are one team that desperately needs a franchise quarterback, and current Jets QB Michael Vick is a huge fan of Winston. Vick heaped praise on the sophomore Friday, calling him “the future of the NFL.”

Via NJ.com:

“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.”

Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports

Vick also predicted that Winston may struggle if he’s not drafted by a team full of veterans that can help him grow.

“I think his support cast just has to be around him. You can’t put him in a room with a group of young guys. The more veterans around, the more he’ll pick up on things and he’ll mature quickly.”

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