GA News: OnlineAthens - UGA's Leonard Floyd goes No. 9 overall to Bears in NFL draft

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From OnlineAthens.com
April 28th, 2016 08:20 PM

Leonard Floyd’s journey from small town Chauncey, Ga., to the big time of the NFL culminated on Thursday night when Chicago made the Georgia outside linebacker the No. 9 overall draft pick in the first round.
Floyd signed to play at Georgia out of Dodge County High in 2012 and then again in 2013 after a season at Hargrave (Va.) Military Prep and became the Bulldogs’ sack leader for all three of his college seasons.
During his first preseason in Athens, offensive tackle John Theus said “The kid has a motor for days.”
Now after playing for two defensive coordinators and two position coaches, Floyd will take that motor to the Windy City.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Floyd, who will turn 24 on the day NFL kicks off its 2016 season, said last month. “I mean it’s been a hard process. A lot of hard work involved with it.”
Floyd was the first SEC player taken this year and gives Georgia top-10 picks in back to back drafts for the first time in progam history after running back Todd Gurley went No. 10 overall last year.
“I can’t even tell you how great I feel about being a Bear," he told the team's website in an interview streamed. "Very excited. Very excited.”
Georgia hasn't had a defensive player selected in the top 10 since defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan went No. 6 to New Orleans in 2003.
Floyd spent draft night in Atlanta with family at the home of his aunt, his agent Todd France said on Thursday. ESPN showed jubilation for Floyd and his party when he was on the phone for the pick. France was going to be in Chicago where the draft was held.
Floyd traveled to Chicago for a pre-draft visit, but opted to not attend the draft because he wanted to be with family. His mother, Chrishonda Floyd, works at a factory in McRae.
“I tried to keep it family-oriented," Floyd said. "It was pretty chill all the way up until when the draft came on and then everybody got nervous.”
On a night when Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil slid in the first round due to character concerns, Floyd was a safe pick in that regard, Bears director of player personnel Josh Lucas said on the team's website.
“This guy’s got very little risk factor to him as far as his character and his makeup," Lucas said. "He’s all football, all the time and he’s a grinder. He fits our culture.”
Chicago traded up two spots with Tampa Bay to snatch Floyd and gave up a fourth-round pick to land him.
“I was surprised they traded up," Floyd said. "I knew once they got the pick there was no way they would pass me up. I was very excited that they came up to pick me. That means they see something in me and I want to make sure that I come in and prove myself the way I should.”
The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Floyd was a Butkus Award finalist for nation’s top linebacker last season when he had 74 tackles and a team-high 4 ½ sacks.
“Football is really important in his life," Bears general manager Ryan Pace told reporters. "At Georgia, there were times he sat in three different meeting rooms, which tells you about his intelligence and they were playing in so many different roles and he has a natural charisma to him.”
Those different meetings rooms came Floyd was moved around in multiple spots, which impacted his sack numbers.
“It’s a plus," Lucas said. "He’s going to diversify what we have at the outside linebacker position as far as coverages. Should he have rushed more in college? Yes, because that’s what he does best and we’ll take advantage of that skill set as well but his ability to do multiple things for us is what we think will be such an advantage for our defense and make us a better team.”
Mike Mayock of the NFL Network said after Floyd was picked. "He's got a wow get-off, he bends like Gumby but at the point of attack I don't know if he can set a violent edge and I don't know if he can convert speed to power in his pass rush. ...I think he is a sub-package designated pass rusher Day One."
Jacksonville, which has the No. 5 pick, visited with Floyd in Athens on Tuesday, France said.
The Atlanta Falcons, which sent more than a dozen front office, scouts and coaches to Georgia’s Pro Day in March, had a private workout with him days earlier but picked No. 17.
France said Floyd’s stock may have risen in the view of draft analysts, but teams knew all along what Floyd could bring. He had 184 career tackles at Georgia with 17 sacks (11th most in school history) and 28 ½ tackles for loss (ninth most) with five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
“When you watch film on him, he’s not just rushing from the outside linebacker position, he’s floating in the middle of the defense and shooting through an interior gap with great burst," Pace said. "You need to load up on pass rushers and I think that’s what we’re doing.”



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