Players to Watch: Michael Floyd

There is no doubt that Michael Floyd was a dominant receiver last year. With 79 receptions for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, Floyd played like a first round pick. However, with such a talented group of receivers in last years draft, Floyd decided to return to school for his senior season. This is exactly what professional scouts were hoping for. Floyd’s numbers exploded last year and while there is no doubting the production, the consistency is still a question.

Floyd stands in at 6’3”, 227 pounds with long legs that enable him to get downfield. Watch just a few minutes of tape and you will see that Floyd is not your

average college receiver. He stands out with his tall frame and long strides, but what stands out the most are his hands. Floyd has tremendous catch and run ability, and uses his long arms to snatch the ball out of the air.  Floyd also has great ability to catch the ball in traffic and win jump ball competitions. This receiver has developed solid fundamentals that will make him very coachable at the next level.

One of the downsides to Floyd’s game is his route running ability. His speed is built on long strides, which make him slow coming out of his breaks. Floyd needs to work on shortening his stride at times, and also improving his hip speed.  He is able to use his body well, to shield off defenders, but will have a much more difficult time against NFL defenders. Floyd is a physical receiver, but we have yet to see defenders really challenge at the line of scrimmage, and he is guaranteed to see this in the pros.

As I said, Michael Floyd is not your average college receiver. His physical tools and production from this past season make him a preseason first round pick. However, the Notre Dame offense is going through some changes, and Floyd might be the sacrificial lamb is Brian Kelly’s offense. However, if Floyd can keep this year’s production close to last years, there is no doubt in my mind that he will cement himself as a first round pick for next April.