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Jameis Winston working to leave off-field problems behind

FILE - This is a Feb. 21, 2015, file photo showing Jameis Winston at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. Winston has spent much of the past two months crisscrossing the nation, sharpening his quarterback skills and trying to convince NFL teams he's learned from mistakes made off the field and ready to become the face of a franchise. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
FILE - This is a Feb. 21, 2015, file photo showing Jameis Winston at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. Winston has spent much of the past two months crisscrossing the nation, sharpening his quarterback skills and trying to convince NFL teams he's learned from mistakes made off the field and ready to become the face of a franchise. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) FILE - This is a Feb. 21, 2015, file photo showing Jameis Winston at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. Winston has spent much of the past two months crisscrossing the nation, sharpening his quarterback skills and trying to convince NFL teams he's learned from mistakes made off the field and ready to become the face of a franchise. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

By Associated Press 4 min read

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Jameis Winston has spent much of the past two months crisscrossing the nation, sharpening his quarterback skills and trying to convince NFL teams he’s learned from mistakes made off the field and ready to become the face of a franchise.

A lot of his effort was geared toward the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the first pick this year’s NFL draft.

Heading into Winston’s pro day at Florida State on Tuesday, by all accounts the 2013 Heisman winner has made a strong impression.

All the Bucs’ decision-makers, coach Lovie Smith, general manager Jason Licht, and – maybe even more importantly – the Glazer family, which owns the team, appear to be comfortable with Winston’s history of off-the-field issues.

“I realize he has made some mistakes, gotten himself in some situations he would like to do over, but we don’t see anything that we can’t help him with,” Smith said during last week’s NFL spring meetings in Phoenix, Arizona.