Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia

If Leonard Floyd had entered the 2015 NFL Draft, he would likely have slipped into the late first round, according to some scouts.  Instead, Floyd opted to return to Georgia for one more season.  He's young (only a sophomore), but played one year of prep school ball, which made him draft eligible last season. At 6'4, 220 pounds, Floyd is a bit lighter than most scouts like to see in their outside linebackers. That being said, he has enough talent to make scouts drool.  How good is he? Take a look.

Leonard Floyd was arguably the best edge linebacker in college football in 2014, and his ceiling is extremely high this season.  The talent is there. Floyd is an extremely talented pass rusher who also excels in pass coverage; Floyd has even played some DB in college. He is going to be a huge asset to an NFL team for years to come, especially if he can bulk up a little.  He projects as a 3-4 OLB; he's a bit too light for a DE at 220 pounds.  I think he stays as an outside linebacker at the next level.

In 2013, Floyd recorded 55 tackles, 6.5 sacks , 9.5 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles.  In  2014, he recorded 55 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. These are decent numbers, and if he can improve on them a bit in 2015, Floyd could propel himself higher in the first round. As it is, I think Floyd is a 2015 first round pick, or at worst, an early second round pick?


What's the downside on Floyd? The short answer is not much. He's slightly light-weight, and had shoulder surgery in 2014, missing his team's bowl game, so some scouts will wave the injury banner when discussing him. The "downside" on Floyd is fairly negligible as a whole, and I think he's a better prospect than Vic Beasley was in 2014.  Keep him as a 3-4 OLB, and you've got an every down starter who can hold his own at the next level for years to come.

What's Floyd's upside? I view him as a very good, but not elite, outside linebacker in the NFL. That being said, with a strong 2015 season and the right system in the NFL, he could quickly become a household name. As things stand right now, I think that he'll be an every down starter in the NFL, and could make a few Pro Bowls.  With a huge 2015 season, who knows? We could be talking about a top 10 2015 draft pick if Floyd dominates this year.  He's a defensive prospect to watch closely this season, and he has the physical gifts to succeed in the NFL.  Too small? I don't think so.

--Mike B