Jameis Winston.jpg

Bucaneers quarterback Jameis Winston. (File photo)

TAMPA -- Three years ago, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston said he dreamed of playing for the Yankees.

He had just gone hitless in two at-bats and played left field for Florida State against the Yankees in a spring exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. He had also just met Derek Jeter, one of his idols about to start his retirement tour.



Now, he's motivating them -- and telling them not to make the same mistakes that he did.



Winston surprised Yankees prospects last week. In a meeting room at the team's minor league training facility, he walked in and sounded like a motivational speaker, immediately commanding the room.

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He talked about determination to the attendees of Captain's Camp, the team's yearly top prospect program aimed at building character as much as on-field skills. Winston repeated "no limits" like it was his mantra.



And he told them to be careful about their actions.



He made a lasting impression, several Yankees said.



"It's not everyday you can talk to an NFL quarterback," left-hander Justus Sheffield said.

Sheffield said he was captivated by the charming Winston, who was NFL Rookie of the Year in 2015 with Tampa Bay and won the 2013 Heisman Trophy at Florida State University, where he ran into his share of controversy.



While in college, Winston faced allegations of sexual assault. He also was given a civil citation for shoplifting and was suspended a football game after he allegedly stood on a cafeteria table and shouted an obscenity.



The message many Yankees took away from Winston was perseverance, righty Daniel Camarena said.



"You wouldn't know he's only 23 (years old)," 24-year-old Camarena said. "He talked like a grown man. He gave us some good advice. His big thing that I took away was that there's no limits. If you don't set a limit for yourself, you don't know how you can go. Just keep striving every day."



Said righty Chance Adams, "That was incredible. You could tell he was a quarterback when he came in. He got your attention from the get-go. He left a good message. His message was, opportunity can't tell you know. Why are you not grasping that. Why are you not taking that?"



Sheffield, 20, grew up a Titans fan.



"Unfortunately," he said, laughing.



Sheffield said he's repeated to himself several times something that Winston said.



"The biggest thing to me, he kept talking about how you talk to yourself more than you talk to others," Sheffield said. "Throughout your life, you go through these phases where you're talking to yourself and you doubt yourself. If you think about it, why can't you make yourself say you're going to do this?"

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.