Floyd was a big-time high school recruit from Philadelphia, winning the 2009 Maxwell Football Club National High School Player of the Year and excelling in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl (two sacks). Like many other young players, Floyd struggled with a rough childhood (bouncing between multiple homes), before settling in Gainesville. In fact, Floyd?s school held a bake sale to help him pay for the trip to the All-American Bowl, and he also received additional funds from a third party to visit campuses during the recruiting process.
The NCAA investigated those "impermissible benefits" and docked Floyd the first two games of the his sophomore season (reducing the suspension from four games due to ?personal hardship?). He started the next 11 games at defensive end in head coach Will Muschamp?s 3-4 defense(46 totals tackles, 6.5 for loss), culminating with a 1.5-sack performance in the team?s 24-17 victory over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl. Floyd had already showed promise as a member of the coaches' Freshman All-SEC squad in 2010, playing in all 13 games with one of his two starts coming against Penn State in the Gators? Outback Bowl win (he had two tackles, a tackle for loss).
Floyd's statistics are by no means elite (26 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks in two years), but his ability to be a factor playing every position along the defensive line is a testament to his hustle and athleticism for his size. His final season saw him earn third-team All-America honors as he helped anchor a Gator defense that was amongst the best in the entire nation.
STRENGTHS
Athletic three/five-technique prospect with solid overall strength. Possesses a quick and long first step when in pass rush mode, can swim over his opponent or get his hands up into his man?s jersey to push him into the backfield. Often lined up outside the tackle (even standing up) despite his size, showed quickness to rush the passer and quick feet to contain on the edge. Combines good effort and short-area agility for his size to chase plays across the field and get his long arms around ball carriers when closing in. Experience as a two-gapper, keeps his eyes in the backfield and sheds to either direction to grab running backs coming his direction. Flashes violent hands to swipe away blockers on his way to the ball carrier. Great balance and flexibility, and shows good change of direction ability and showing some ability to bend on the edge. Excellent at shooting gaps and reducing his surface area while working through trash inside. Splits double-teams in pass protection well with quickness.
WEAKNESSES
Has long legs and plays with high pad level, at times causing him problems when trying to anchor. Lacks the elite closing speed to make a lot of plays outside the box. Will stop after initial contact, must prove he has the stamina to make an impact in significant minutes against NFL competition. Tendency to stop his feet on contact. While he has experience two-gapping, he still needs a lot of technique work in that area; he has a tendency to turn his body, especially against double teams, causing him to get washed out or moved upfield. Suffered a torn ACL in high school. Changing positions may have stunted his growth in college, as he has never been allowed to focus on one particular skill set.
BOTTOM LINE
A rough childhood did not prevent Floyd from earning national accolades for his play in high school, as he won the 2009 Maxwell Football Club's National Player of the Year award. And by the end of his sophomore year at Florida (he racked up 1.5 sacks against Ohio State in the team's Gator Bowl win), Floyd began showing scouts the athleticism, strength, and motor they require in a top tackle prospect. He has been an incredibly important and versatile defender up front for Florida, playing both one and two-gap techniques at defensive end, one and three-technique, and as a true zero-technique nose tackle. While Floyd is rough around the edges and will take time to develop as a two-gapper, the Gator's quickness, athleticism, and scheme versatility will make him coveted by 4-3 and 3-4 teams alike in the first round.
...defensive tackle Shariff Floyd of Florida, one of my favorite players to evaluate on tape. Forget about the fact the Raiders do not have a starting quality DT on their present roster. Floyd is worthy under any circumstances. You talk to outstanding defensive tackles like Warren Sapp, and they talk about hips. Floyd has very loose hips. He’s lively and limber, with great balance and body control. He played both through and around blocks. He’s what a tackle-for-loss DT, disruptive with an explosive closing burst. He transitions best as a classic 3-technique in a four-man line, but he would be equally effective as a DE in 1-gap 3-4 front.
"What is most important about this kid is his explosion. He reminds me, and I'm not going to say he's ever going to be Warren Sapp, but it's that type of first step explosion," Mayock said of Floyd. "He can get an edge as a pass rusher. He's strong enough to push the pocket. He's stout against the run, and he can run sideline to sideline."
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
I'm really excited about this pick. The DL tranistion is upon us and while we are stacked at DE, there was no real replacement for KWill... until now. Hopefully we can find a true NT in the coming years and maintain our front 4 dominance. Awesome pick, IMO. I can't believe he fell to us.
Winning is not a sometime thing it is an all of the time thing - Vince Lombardi
mansquatch wrote:Awesome pick, IMO. I can't believe he fell to us.
Spielman feels the same way. In their draft preparations, they never imagined a scenario where he was available.
Said Spielman: “I went through 1,000 scenarios with that 23rd and 25th pick and I can just tell you honestly that he was not [available] in one of those scenarios.”
Let's hope he plays with a chip on his shoulder and turns into the next Warren Sapp.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
I absolutely love this pick! the more we got closer to our pick, the more i got excited because he was still on the board. I was over the moon once I heard the name called. With KWill most likely gone after this year, he will be ready to step in full time next season.
Cliff wrote:I wonder what kind of playing time he'll get this year.
According to Pelissero and Zulgad, they see Floyd playing a lot. Apparently, Kevin Williams has even said to them that he simply can't play every down anymore. Floyd would make sense as a backup for him.
The Vikings Access guys (Mark Craig and Dan Wiederer) believe the Vikings will also play some downs with both Floyd and K-Will on the field at the same time. This is especially true about passing downs.
losperros wrote:
According to Pelissero and Zulgad, they see Floyd playing a lot. Apparently, Kevin Williams has even said to them that he simply can't play every down anymore. Floyd would make sense as a backup for him.
The Vikings Access guys (Mark Craig and Dan Wiederer) believe the Vikings will also play some downs with both Floyd and K-Will on the field at the same time. This is especially true about passing downs.
I was curious if they would put them both on the field at the same time. I wonder how that'd go.
I think they'll have to first see how effective Floyd is as a pass rusher, but I expect that he'll both rotate in as a sub for Kevin Williams and play side by side with him. If he's as good as he's billed there's no reason a player that young should need to be off the field resting for more than a play or two per series.
This Floyd pick is the kind of pick I like. Was it a position of absolute need, compared say, to MLB? No. Kevin Williams has another year left (at least playing most of the downs), and Floyd is at his best playing the Under Tackle, just like KW. But I'm not a big believer in "need" picks. I like the "best player available" philosophy (at least if a pick plays a position that isn't totally stocked), and this guy appears to be the BPA at #23. He'll learn under K Will , and excel in 2014 when KW is either gone or accepting his role as a back up.
I'm also pleased with the second pick of the first round. Maybe this Seminole isn't the second coming of Mike Haynes, but he at least looks somewhat like Haynes (the GOAT at that position, in my humble opinion). I like the idea of someone who can stand tall and man up. I don't see it as a "bad fit" for the Vikes and their swiss cheese schemes. If you can't man up, how do you excel at that position?
Then, there's pick number 3. Sorry, guys, but that one I don't get. I think it was a bad gamble -- too many picks to give up for a guy who is raw and who plays a position where they could well have obtained quality in round #2. Is his upside great? Sure. Can he be pencilled in as a returner right away? Sure. But the Vikes have a lot of holes to fill, this is a deep draft, and if you are going to take a WR, why not take one that can help us see right away if Ponder is the man -- so that if he's not, we can jettison his butt next off-season? Generally, I prefer trading down (especially in a weak draft) to trading up, and while the latter sometimes works, it's usually when you know a guy can't miss. We traded up for Gerhart and T Jackson. How did that work out? The Pats, on the other hand, like to trade down -- and look at the results. Sorry -- BPA and get a lot of bodies in camp. That's my draft philosophy.
Then again, boys and girls, I am wearing my Vikings tie to work today, so whether or not I agree with what they do, I'll still be bleeding purple and hoping that I am very, very wrong whenever it would make the Vikes very, very right.
DanAS wrote:This Floyd pick is the kind of pick I like. Was it a position of absolute need, compared say, to MLB? No. Kevin Williams has another year left (at least playing most of the downs), and Floyd is at his best playing the Under Tackle, just like KW. But I'm not a big believer in "need" picks. I like the "best player available" philosophy (at least if a pick plays a position that isn't totally stocked), and this guy appears to be the BPA at #23. He'll learn under K Will , and excel in 2014 when KW is either gone or accepting his role as a back up.
I'm also pleased with the second pick of the first round. Maybe this Seminole isn't the second coming of Mike Haynes, but he at least looks somewhat like Haynes (the GOAT at that position, in my humble opinion). I like the idea of someone who can stand tall and man up. I don't see it as a "bad fit" for the Vikes and their swiss cheese schemes. If you can't man up, how do you excel at that position?
Then, there's pick number 3. Sorry, guys, but that one I don't get. I think it was a bad gamble -- too many picks to give up for a guy who is raw and who plays a position where they could well have obtained quality in round #2. Is his upside great? Sure. Can he be pencilled in as a returner right away? Sure. But the Vikes have a lot of holes to fill, this is a deep draft, and if you are going to take a WR, why not take one that can help us see right away if Ponder is the man -- so that if he's not, we can jettison his butt next off-season? Generally, I prefer trading down (especially in a weak draft) to trading up, and while the latter sometimes works, it's usually when you know a guy can't miss. We traded up for Gerhart and T Jackson. How did that work out? The Pats, on the other hand, like to trade down -- and look at the results. Sorry -- BPA and get a lot of bodies in camp. That's my draft philosophy.
Then again, boys and girls, I am wearing my Vikings tie to work today, so whether or not I agree with what they do, I'll still be bleeding purple and hoping that I am very, very wrong whenever it would make the Vikes very, very right.
Patterson is a gamble, but if that gamble works, this team can be stacked again fast. The upside is tremendous, nobody can deny that. I love the pick, and how many guys you gonna get in the 2nd and 3rd round with these sorta built in skills? Adrian isn't getting any younger, they have to assemble talent now and take that shot one last time before he hits 30. If this works, we have Adrian, Jennings, Patterson, Rudolph, Wright, now it's Ponders turn to take a major step. If it all gels this can be a scary team.
