On Thursday, Jameis Winston — a 21-year-old Hueytown, Alabama native — saw his life change forever, right in front of America’s eyes.

He was chosen with the number one selection in the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago, Illinois by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While no surprise to experts and hardcore football fans all over the country, one can surmise the many different driving forces that got him to that moment, the pinnacle for any college hopeful looking to make a big splash in the professional ranks.

While talent, hard work, brains, coaching and experience (and yeah, maybe a little luck) are definitely all elements in no particular order, inspiration also plays an enormous part of the equation that has equaled success and promise for the former Florida State University quarterback.

One such inspiration (along with a few others) he detailed in the postgame interview above back in January of 2014, when his Seminoles won the BCS National Championship before millions across the nation.

It’s his cousin — T’Ola Winston — an active-duty United States Army soldier who was in Afghanistan watching her family member win the title on television.

Here’s a photograph of the new Buccaneer and his cousin, the Army corporal (via Facebook):

t ola winston

And here’s what Jameis Winston tweeted out the minute he was drafted by Tampa Bay on Thursday night:

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TMZ