Sharrif Floyd I Florida I DT I 6030 I 305 I Junior

40 Time (E): 4.85

Overview: Sharrif Floyd is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. Without going into Floyd’s backstory, it’s one you’ll hear many times over leading up to the draft. Floyd has played 3T and 5T at Florida and will be looked at for both positions by NFL teams. He’s a disruptive force that is capable of taking over games from the interior. He possesses the most explosive athleticism of any DT in this class, which is saying a lot given Sheldon Richardson’s presence. Floyd isn’t a perfect prospect but his upside is through the roof and could have him coming off the board in the top 10 picks. The team drafting Floyd will have to look at the potential/upside as he wasn’t a consistently dominant player at UF.

Pass Rush: Floyd has the upside to be a dominant pass rushing three-technique or five-technique in the NFL. He has an explosive first step with a non-stop motor that will lead to effort sacks at the next level. He beats his opponent in the first two steps most of the time but has a nice swim move to counter with when he doesn’t win off the snap. His motor doesn’t quit as he has the ability to push the pocket and chase the QB down from the backside. Floyd will have to develop his hand usage at the next level if he wants to max out his pass rush potential. He will have to stay lower in the NFL as he won’t be able to win with just speed.

Run Defense: I came away more impressed with Floyd as a run stopper than I anticipated. From everything I had been told before my evaluation I was expecting to be let down with him as a run defender which couldn’t have been further from the truth. His explosion off the snap disrupts deep in the backfield and on a couple of occasions he nearly took the handoff. He disengages well from blocks and does a great job of reading and shedding. Floyd brings an insatiable motor as he’ll be able to chase plays going away and has the speed and closing burst to make tackles that other DT’s (not named Sheldon Richardson) can’t. He does play high overall which doesn’t allow him to win many leverage battles. Floyd doesn’t have the power to anchor but should be plenty depending on the system he’s drafted into.

Size/Strength/Athleticism: Floyd’s athletic skill set is through the roof. He has an explosive first step with rare lateral agility for a man his size. He doesn’t have the long speed that Sheldon Richardson does but he always seems to be near the action with the play going away. At 6-foot-3, and 300 pounds he has the size to play the three-technique or five-technique in the NFL. Could stand to add a little weight to his frame if they play him inside in a four man front. If he plays end in a three man front he could have ideal size. Floyd will only continue to rise up draft boards as teams see his athletic skills on display in Indianapolis and during his pro day workout.

Technique: Not a perfect prospect from a technique standpoint. He has shown improvement in this area but there is work to do when he gets to the big leagues. His pad level is consistently too high and hand usage isn’t great. His footwork is spot on as he maintains a wide base through contact with great leg drive. Love his ability to stack and shed as he reads the action of the play quickly and consistently.

Bottom Line: Sharrif Floyd brings explosive athleticism that will warrant a top ten selection in April’s draft. In normal years Floyd would have been the top DT prospect but his class includes Sheldon Richardson and Star Lotulelei. I think Floyd’s best fit in the NFL is as an explosive, penetrating 3T. Has the ideal size of a 5T but it seems a bit of a waste of his best attributes. He’s a high effort/motor player that grew up without parents in humbling circumstances. Floyd’s ceiling is through the roof as he haven’t seen his best football at this point. All 32 teams will have a role for this guy and his versatility will make him a hot commodity. I would be surprised if he made it past the tenth pick in April and could be one of three DT’s selected in that range.