According a news report from TMZ, Florida State freshman phenom Jameis Winston is being investigated for a felony sexual assault that occurred in December.

Yes, that Jameis Winston. The guy who is amongst the front-runners for the Heisman Trophy, and the guy who is leading the Seminoles back to national prominence for the first time in over a decade. This story is in the early stages, but the report has some details of the allegations.

On December 7 of last year, the Tallahassee Police Department were contacted by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted with “physical force.”  Not surprisingly, alcohol was allegedly involved, but beyond that, not much else is known at this point. The report indicates that Winston has been interviewed about the situation by the police, but it doesn’t give a time frame as to when that transpired.

The timing of this TMZ story is curious, especially considering the alleged assault took place almost a year ago. However, the story is getting plenty of attention from the national media and if nothing else, damages Winston’s reputation even if proven to be untrue.

Until now, Winston has been treated as a media darling with an infectious personality. He has been praised for his laid-back demeanor and calm nature on the field. That’s a huge reason that these allegations are so surprising. As I said, it’s way too early in the process to draw any conclusions, but this news is unsettling for Florida State fans and supporters.