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The MMQB has been running down its top 100 most influential figures in the NFL, with Dirk Koetter and Jason Licht being named so far. Apparently at least one more member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make the list: Jameis Winston is set to come in at number 25, the Tampa Tribune claims, citing Sports Illustrated's print version.
Not surprising, really, given that both Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter are both on the list primarily because of the presence of Jameis Winston.
Obviously, any starting quarterback is going to be hugely influential -- there's only 32 of them, and they play an outsize role in determining a team's success. More than any other position, at least. But there's more than that. As the first overall pick for a team that is determined to win now, Winston is going to be in the spotlight every week. The fact that he'll be directly compared to Marcus Mariota will only increase that scrutiny.
And beyond the on-field stuff, there's the off-field scrutiny, too. Every move Winston makes will be enlarged, no matter how inconsequential it may seem. And then there's the rape accusation, which has now led to an ongoing civil suit, a countersuit and a suit against FSU. Those will continue to play out over the season -- and Winston's name will continue to be in the news because of it.
Jameis Winston will be one of the most prominent figures in the NFL this year, and probably for years to come. We'd better get used to the media attention.