INDIANAPOLIS -- Jameis Winston intends to throw Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine. The star quarterback made the declaration Friday afternoon, not long after news broke that he underwent additional medical tests on his shoulder.
"I'm a competitor, I know what I'm capable of doing, so I will be throwing at the combine tomorrow," Winston said. "I had an MRI just like everybody else. I've been playing football since I was four years old and my shoulder has been fine."
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed news on Friday that Winston underwent additional testing in a nearby hospital to determine why the Heisman Trophy winner is experiencing weakness in his throwing shoulder. Winston apparently underwent electromyography tests to assess his muscle and nerves around his right shoulder.
Rapoport reported that one of two doctors who examined Winston noticed weakness near the nerve, and that he checked out fine at the hospital. This is a common ailment for baseball pitchers, which is something Dr. James Andrews told Winston. Winston has played baseball at Florida State for two seasons.
Winston went through a full battery of measurements on Thursday and did not meet with the media as scheduled due to a late-afternoon trip for the testing.
The Florida State passer also opted to skip testing on the bench press Friday, but it is unknown if that was planned or due to the additional medical testing he was put through.
Rapoport spoke with Winston's agent, Greg Genske, who said Winston has a minor condition in his back shoulder, although he has "experienced no symptoms."
"Jameis feels incredibly strong and there is no need for treatment of any kind," Genske sold Rapoport. "There is no reason to believe that he will experience any future difficulties."
Winston's quarterback coach, George Whitfield Jr., told a small group of reporters that the shoulder issues were news to him and that the signal-caller went through a full throwing session at the University of Michigan just a few days before the combine kicked off in Indianapolis. The coach also noted that Winston is a year-round thrower who also doubles as a top pitcher for the Seminoles in baseball.
"It's actually kind of a little bit of a shock," Whitfield said. "He's only been getting stronger, to be honest. We got five straight weeks of lifting and throwing and all this type of stuff. He's getting in great shape, you saw him at 231. So I'm sure they're just being overly cautious like they're supposed to. They test these guys like astronauts."
Whitfield indicated that Winston last threw on Tuesday at Michigan, and that final decision has been made as to whether he will throw in front of scouts on Saturday.
Winston is rated as NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock's top quarterback in the 2015 NFL Draft and is under consideration to go No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
