A week after the NFL draft concluded, the debate rages on surrounding what the Chicago Bears did in the first round. Not only did they draft Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, despite serious concerns about his lack of weight and power, but traded up to get him. The sticking point always came back to one number: 4.5. That’s how many sacks Floyd had in his final season for the Bulldogs. Not the most inspiring number for a player expected to become the premier edge rusher for the franchise.

It seems no amount of video or expert argument has persuaded many from believing Bears GM Ryan Pace made a tactical blunder in his decision. Sometimes only stats can get through, even though they can be misleading (especially the sacks part). So Pro Football Focus offered up some interesting knowledge about what Floyd did in 2015 that may indicate Pace knew exactly what he was doing.

“Floyd is a good signing for a number of reasons. Only three edge defenders in the nation — and one in this draft class — had a higher overall grade than Floyd did in his final season at Georgia. He may have only had four sacks, but he added eight hits and 30 hurries. The addition of Floyd gives the Bears some flexibility, however, and if the way to slide Pernell McPhee down as an interior rusher in sub-packages, they can use Floyd and Willie Young, who had seven sacks, seven hits and 33 hurries a year ago, on the edge.”

Pressures are a dicey measurement for pass rushers because it’s difficult to pinpoint what constitutes one. The far more interesting number is the eight hits. That means Floyd was having contact with the quarterback either during or just a split second after the ball was released. This means he could’ve easily had an additional number of sacks if he’d been afforded an extra bit of time. Coaches are quick to argue that sacks are fun, but hits and pressure means almost every bit as much because they accomplish the same thing.

They make the quarterback uncomfortable.

As to those who think because he’s somewhat light and underpowered, he’s a bad run defender, here is a transcript of film breakdown courtesy of Jeremy Stoltz from Scout.com. It covers Floyd against Alabama, the eventual national champion and some of his plays against the run.

-0:53, 3rd and 1, Alabama runs right at him. He’s double teamed. He rides both players inside, then quickly stops and tosses them aside, plugging the hole, keeping those blockers off the inside linebackers and making the stop. -2:36, run up the middle, RT tries to engage, Floyd extends arms and disengages, helps on the tackle inside. He does struggle at times to disengage from blockers but more often than not, he uses his long arms to extend and create separation, which allows him to shed with ease. What I see from Floyd is an explosive edge rusher with a full arsenal of pass rush moves. He’s slippery and quick, and uses his thin frame to his advantage. He has the speed and flexibility to easily turn the corner, and the strength to carry blockers into the pocket. Floyd shows very good awareness against the run and exceptional change-of-direction ability.

Does Leonard Floyd need some time to adjust his body to NFL conditioning? Of course, but to think he’s already an outright bust denies the facts. Very rarely do players get drafted in the top 10 who aren’t capable of impacting football games almost single-handed. The Chicago Bears saw a really good player who has a chance to be a great one.

It’s time to commend them for having the courage to believe he has what it takes and showing that faith by taking him higher than draftniks wanted.