Michael Floyd - My Take

First off I'm not a scout.  I don't watch coaches tape.  I don't go to practices.  There are many people who probably know a hell of a lot more than me about football.  The only qualifications I have to analyze the draft prospects of future professional football players are the fact that I watch a ton of football and read a ton about football and the draft.   My dad was always a huge fan of the draft, we're Browns fans so usually it's all we have to look forward to.  He would get Joel Buchsbaum's draft guides and we'd read up on the picks almost as far back as I can remember.  Buchsbaum was the BEST, with apologies to Mel Kiper.  And we'd talk draft and debate picks and I'd try and become as knowledgeable as possible on the prospects.  And we still do.  That said I thought I'd put some of my thoughts on here on some of the players the Browns may target or players that are debated by others.  I gave my spin on Justin Blackmon and here's what I think about Michael Floyd.


First off, I think Justin Blackmon is the best WR in this draft.  I think Kendall Wright is the second best WR in this draft.  I have been sort of shocked by the Michael Floyd love lately and the talk that he may be a better prospect than Blackmon.  I just don't see it.

The first thing people talk about when discussing Floyd is his size.  He's a legit 6'2.5 and 220 lbs.  That's big and that fits the mold of what people want "elite" wide receiver prospects to measure.  He was timed at 4.47 seconds in the 40 at the combine which is fast, had a 36.5 in vertical, and apparently put on a show in shorts last week at his pro day.  That's all pretty good stuff.  He has been productive at a major college program for four years, that too is unmistakable.  He spent his first few years in a pro-style offense under super genius Charlie Weis.  These are the reasons given when people discuss why he may be a better prospect than Justin Blackmon.  Here are the reasons I think it's not that close.

First of all, when it comes to his 4.47 speed, watch some film of him.  He does not play that fast.  Even the most die-hard golden domers won't argue that.  He has functional game speed for his size but he does not look like a burner on the field.  There have been a ton of guys who can run fast 40's but don't play that fast in pads and Floyd qualifies here.

He gets off the ball quickly but can be a very lazy route runner, rounding off breaks.  Not a big deal in college but something he will definitely have to improve.  Also, to make sharper cuts and fool NFL dbs he's going to have to get in and out of his breaks quickly, and his lack of explosiveness coupled with his big body may make it hard for him to separate in the NFL.

He has really good hands but can lose concentration and drop some balls - not a Braylon Edwards by any stretch but he will let some hit the ground.  Also fumbled 5 times in his career.

Like Blackmon he hasn't faced much press coverage and will need to prove he can beat it in the pros.

Now the big red flags for me...

Over the past 2 seasons, he's had 3 catches of more than 35 yards.  THREE.  It is almost mind-boggling that a player this big with that timed speed hasn't slipped a tackle and taken one to the house, or got behind a db and ran under one.  You're talking about a supposed top-tier WR prospect and he has offered almost no big plays at the collegiate level in his junior and senior seasons.  To put that in perspective, Justin Blackmon had a 43 yard TD and a 67 yard TD in a span of under 3 minutes in the Fiesta Bowl.  People will say that ND's quarterbacks were terrible but Devier Posey played in three games this year and Ohio State's offense wasn't setting the world on fire and he had two such catches.  I'm not an Alshon Jeffery fan but if I'm going to take a big receiver who may have trouble separating I at least want the one that makes a big play every now and then.

The arrests are an obvious concern, because it shows a guy that doesn't necessarily learn from his mistakes, especially with millions of dollars on the line.  College kids drink but those that play football and get popped twice should really be using common sense and not getting behind the wheel if they're plastered.

Injuries.  You can't predict them but he's missed time for some leg issues, had a broken collarbone, and has been knocked out of more than a couple games.  This relates to the other big thing that gives me pause and that's what I perceive as a lack of competitiveness or what I would call a lack of testicular fortitude.  I watched the Michigan game and he was balling but when the game was on the line he was standing on the sidelines.  The bowl game against Florida State, his LAST career game at Notre Dame, he was standing on the sidelines at crunch time, after taking a hit to the gut from the imposing 5'8 185 lb Lamarcus Joyner.  I can't say whether he was hurt badly enough that he couldn't continue but I can say that there are a lot of guys who would have had to have their helmets hidden to not get back in there, and he's not one of them.  He then turned down a chance to compete with the best of the best at the Senior Bowl.  I think he lacks a competitive fire in his belly, I don't think he'll play hurt, and I see him as a guy who is going to miss games in his career.  I think that will always be the issue with me on him.  I want players with HEART.

That's not to say he can't be a good pro, I just don't think he's at the same level with Justin Blackmon or even Kendall Wright.  I think his ceiling is a solid #2 receiver in the NFL.  If he goes to a team like the Jets or Bengals he can be successful.  If he goes to a team like Jacksonville or the Browns and has to be the man he's going to struggle.  As far as the Browns are concerned, I think we need a gamebreaker at wideout, like a Blackmon or Wright.