Scouting Report: Michael Floyd

Size: At 6’3, 227 pounds, Floyd possesses prototypical NFL size for the WR position. While some might suggest that he carries too much weight for his 6’3 frame, I tend to believe he carries the weight rather well. Though Floyd is one of the heavier WR prospects in recent memory; the weight appears to have no bearing on his ability to consistently gain separation from collegiate DBs. In fact, it is his size that helps him gain much of his separation on Saturdays.

Speed: Even though Floyd is more of a “build up speed” WR, he is vastly underrated in this department by many. I would not be surprised to see Floyd sneak in to the 4.48 to 4.49 range in the forty yard dash at the combine. Floyd employs a very efficient heel to hamstring rotary running technique. Once this is fine-tuned and he eliminates wasted motion in his upper body, expect him to exceed expectations in this area during post seasons workouts.

Quickness: Floyd offers solid top end ability, but is not very sudden. Floyd’s ability to get in and out of breaks needs considerable work, and is currently not a positive in his game. Working on his technique/ footwork could help him compensate for his lack of natural ability in this area. Due to this deficiency, he may not be able to create great separation at the next level. His QB will have to throw the ball where Floyd can use his size to his advantage, rather than his athleticism.

Release: This is one of the most difficult attributes of his game to evaluate simply because he rarely sees press coverage. Due to his physical stature, he is often awarded a free release. The majority of his experience facing press coverage has come in the Red Zone. On these occasions he has handled the jam beautifully by simply out muscling his defender. In one instance in particular, an Inside Linebacker jamming him was merely swatted away like a DB. Floyd has a solid burst off of the line of scrimmage but takes time go get in and out of breaks. Floyd’s lack of experience against press coverage may eventually come back to haunt him if he is unable to develop a wider array of moves off the L.O.S.

Route Running: Floyd is not a disciplined route runner. He consistently rounds off routes. His in, and out routes are far from precise. The fact that he is a taller WR and is naturally a long strider does not help him in this area. At 6’3, Floyd does take a considerable amount of time to break down. If he is unable to improve in this area, he will be sure to tip off defensive backs at the next level, limiting him on the route tree.  While he was exposed to a pro style offense early in his collegiate career, he was never allowed to develop in that particular system due to Weis’ departure.

Hands: Catching the football is an area Floyd could certainly improve upon. Whether it can be attributed to a lapse in concentration, or positioning of his hands on the football; Floyd struggles to catch the football when the ball is aimed directly at his core. It is the simple catches that do not require him to extend his arms beyond his torso that I noticed he has a tendency to “double catch” the football opposed to catching it just one time. With that being said Floyd has a very good catching radius as he possesses the ability to high-point the football as well as anyone in the country. Floyd will occasionally make the routine grab more interesting than necessary as he has a flair for the dramatic. Evidenced by his failed attempt at a one handed catch in the End Zone during the 2010 Sun Bowl, his desire to make the highlight reel has contributed to some drops. Floyd is generally a reliable pass catcher but should look to focus more on making the routine play.

Body Control: Floyd is one of the best boundary WRs in college football. He has a keen sense of awareness for where he is on the football field, and is able to twist and contort his body to remain inbounds while catching the football. He also displays remarkable body control while high-pointing the football, winning a good portion of those 50/50 throws.

In Traffic: It is not my intention to continue to point to Floyd’s size, but in traffic is where it’s good to be 6’3, 227 pounds. He uses his body extremely well to shield off defenders when attempting to catch the football at its highest point. On multiple occasions, I’ve witnessed DBs in position to make a play on the football, only for Floyd to gain position and snatch the football away at the last possible moment. In traffic, he is very strong at the point of the catch as he tends to focus a lot more in traffic compared to when it comes to making the routine catch.

YAC: While Floyd is a tough physical runner after the catch, he won’t give you much in terms of wiggle or making someone miss in the open field. There aren’t many DBs that can, or want to tackle him once he’s in the secondary. Floyd will never be classified as a “speed” WR, however he does possess enough speed to take it the distance. Whether it’s a DB, or a LB attempting to tackle him Floyd will often attempt to drop his pad level and “lower the boom” to gain a couple additional yards. Unfortunately, he is somewhat of a one trick pony in this area.

Blocking: Floyd certainly excels in this area as he is a fantastic stalk blocker. In the run game he goes about blocking with the same passion and desire he has for getting the football thrown his way. On multiple occasions he came inside and cracked down on a LB reminiscent of Anquan Boldin. However, I did notice that when he is required to block in the passing game, he isn’t quite as effective; oftentimes looking disinterested. He is very selfless on the field, and has proven over and over again that he will lay his body on the line for his team. Overall Floyd will certainly add value to any NFL team with his blocking ability on the perimeter.