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Jameis Winston explains why he might not be in Chicago for NFL draft

If Jameis Winston doesn't attend the NFL draft in Chicago, and he goes No. 1 as expected to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it will be a rare occurrence.

It seems like every first overall pick and this isn't just NFL, we're talking NBA and NHL too is on hand, and walks across the stage and greets the commissioner and gets the photo op that will live on forever. But there have been reports that Winston won't attend the draft. He is widely expected to be the first overall pick on April 30.

After his pro day workout on Tuesday, Winston appeared on NFL Network and said that he hasn't made a final decision.

"We really haven’t made that decision yet, because there’s been a lot of pressure for people trying to get me to come to the draft," Winston said with a smile. 

Of course the NFL wants him at the draft; it's a bit strange if he's not. The NFL has turned the draft into a huge show and the No. 1 pick is the star. The last No. 1 overall pick to not attend the draft in person was defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson in 1994. There was some speculation that the controversy that follows Winston, and a possible negative reaction from the crowd, was an unspoken reason for him staying home. That's not the reason, he said.

It had been speculated that he wanted to stay home to be with his family for such a big moment, but it's a little more specific than that, he said.

"My grandmother, she can’t travel," Winston said. "She has type 2 diabetes, and has had multiple surgeries. And I wanted her to be there. She’s been … my life. Both of my grandmothers. My mom’s mom raised me. She passed away when I was 14. That’s my motivation. My dad’s mom, she’s fighting diabetes. She’s my motivation. I bought her a lift chair to make her smile. Just because of her."

That's certainly understandable, and aside from making sure he's with his grandmother who couldn't make the trip, he can be with all of his family if he stays home instead of going to Chicago.

"I want the people who have been there since Day 1 to enjoy this moment," Winston told NFL Network. "It’s a celebration to me. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I would look forward to spending with my family."

So there it is. If Winston does skip out on attending the draft in person it would be very unusual, but he has a pretty good reason for it.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!