The Chicago Bears have added a dynamic pass rusher to their defensive front by taking Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd with the No. 9 overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Bears took Floyd after trading with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move up into the spot.
Leonard Floyd drafted by Bears at No. 9 after trade up
Is the former Bulldog another “too-skinny” pass rusher or a future Pro Bowl-caliber edge defender?
Considered one of the biggest “boom-or-bust” prospects in this year’s class, Floyd might not be the safest pick but his sky-high potential and freakish athleticism cannot be ignored.
Floyd was one of the most consistent pass rushers in the SEC during his three years in Athens, finishing his career with 17 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in 32 starts. He led the Bulldogs in sacks every season and was named the team’s defensive MVP in 2014.
Those raw statistical totals underestimate his true production on the field, though, as he was a constant source of pressure on the quarterback and a devastating force at the line of scrimmage. Pro Football Focus gave Floyd the second-highest grade among edge defenders in this year’s draft class and ranked him as the fourth-most productive pass rusher in the country last season.
Floyd put his off-the-charts athletic skills on display at the combine in February, where he wowed scouts with elite-level measureables and several eye-popping numbers in the physical fitness testing. His 40-yard dash (4.60), vertical jump (39.5) and broad jump (127.0) each were top-five marks among linebackers.
Floyd profiles as a prototypical speed rusher with incredible burst and first-step quickness off the edge that allows him to streak past tackles and attack the opponents’ backfield. He didn’t bring down the quarterback in this sequence below, but you can see his amazing ability to bend around the corner and disrupt the play.
He also has an impressive inside counter move and inside spin move that can be near-impossible to block when combined with his explosiveness at the snap. Floyd’s pass-rushing toolbox still needs some refinement, but his aggressive, high-energy style and constant motor are things you can’t coach and what makes him such an intriguing prospect.
Another positive mark is his positional flexibility. Per Pro Football Focus, he lined up on the edge on 61 percent of snaps, as an off ball linebacker on 29 percent, and was over the slot on 10 percent. Regardless of his position, Floyd’s ability to dip and rip off the edge and blow through the gaps should be a source of nightmares for offensive coordinators at the next level.
Despite his rare athletic traits and impressive pass-rush skills, Floyd has an obvious flaw that might limit his ceiling as a pro. He is painfully thin -- he actually looks more like a wide receiver than a linebacker -- and is widely considered undersized for an edge rusher. He clearly needs to add muscle to his frame, and right now there are obvious red flags about whether he has the power and strength to deal with the bigger opponents in the NFL.
The low-end of his projections are players like Barkevious Mingo and Dion Jordan, who were both high-profile draft picks that haven't been able to translate their freakish athleticism into on-field production. A more optimistic comparison, however, would be a Swiss Army knife-type player such as Jamie Collins, a dynamic linebacker that has thrived in more creative defensive schemes which maximize his strengths as a versatile, multi-level defender.
Floyd might be limited to a situational role early in his career. But with proper coaching and a pro strength and conditioning program, he has the potential -- if he can beef up and expand his skillset -- to be a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher and game-changing weapon on defense.
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