Jameis Winston, Florida State’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, would have been a first-round pick this year if not for the NFL rule requiring players to wait at least three years after high school to enter the draft. And once he’s eligible to enter the draft, he’s expected to be a very high pick, perhaps the first overall pick -- as long as he stays healthy.
If Winston doesn’t get healthy, and doesn’t go in the first round of the draft as a result, he can cash in on an insurance policy worth $8-$10 million.
That’s the word from Yahoo Sports, which reports that Winston has purchased a disability and loss of value policy that would pay him millions if he were to fall out of the first round because of injury or illness.
That gives Winston a great deal of security, although it doesn’t assure him millions: If Winston falls in the draft because of poor play, or because he gets in more off-field trouble, he would not collect on the policy. The policy only covers Winston if injury or illness causes his draft stock to drop.
Winston and his father have both said that he plans to play two more years at Florida State, but realistically, that seems unlikely. The fact that Winston has purchased the insurance shows that he’s already thinking about the risks associated with spending another year at the amateur level, and the reported $55,000 to $60,000 cost of the policy is substantial to an amateur athlete. Expect this to be Winston’s last year of having to worry about getting injured while playing for free.