Sharrif Floyd 2013 NFL Draft scouting report

Sharrif Floyd | Defensive Tackle | Florida | 6'3'', 303 pounds |

Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has quite the story.

Forced to leave home at the age of 15 due to a rough upbringing, Floyd moved in with his grandmother. Without the finances to fund a trip to the U.S. Army All-American Combine where the top high school football recruits converge each year, Floyd had a bake sale to raise money for the journey. Since playing at Florida, Floyd has sent money home to his grandmother from the grants he receives.

College hasn't been easy for Floyd, either. He was suspended for two games due to the NCAA's suspicion over the financial help he received from a wealthy businessman from Philadelphia, where Floyd grew up.

Despite all of that, Floyd now has a real shot at being a first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Pros:

Floyd is quite the athlete. He gets off the ball with a burst and can punish offensive linemen with his initial punch at the line of scrimmage. What he lacks in technique, he makes up for in speed when coming strong off the edge. Floyd makes sense at the 5-technique position in the NFL because of his ability to beat tackles with his speed. Floyd also uses his hands well to get of blocks and slip into the backfield, showing his upper-body strength.

Floyd also demonstrates a non-stop motor to go with his speed. His short area quickness allows He's an effective run defender at times because of his ability to hold the point of attack and relentlessly pursue the football.

Teams will take a liking to Floyd's character as well. He's made it through tough times and continues to improve on his game every day. The constant improvement from Floyd is one of the most encouraging aspects of his game. He's become a more complete player each year at Florida.

Having not spoken to him, it's tough for me to get a full gauge of the type of person he is. But based on what we see on the field, and reports of what he's done of the field, Floyd is the type of person an NFL general manager will be able to get behind.

Cons:

Most of Floyd's shortcomings stem from bad technique. He gets upright too often both when rushing the passer and in the run game. He struggles to get leverage at times because he doesn't get low enough or play with proper pad level. For this reason, smart, experienced offensive linemen have an easy time stonewalling him on contact by getting better leverage and making it difficult for Floyd to disengage from the block.

Considering Floyd's athleticism and lack of technique, he needs to continue to explode off the ball with an even better burst. While he continues to improve in this area, Floyd needs to get better at coming off the ball to get his leverage early. Also, improving his technique will be a huge determining factor in his NFL success.

Conclusion:

Sharrif Floyd is an incomplete prospect with a ton of room to grow. He's the type of prospect that could rise throughout the pre-draft process. Floyd's performance is more impressive considering his flaws in technique. Floyd is only going to continue to improve. He makes the most sense as a disruptive 5-technique playing in a 3-4 defense. Players with his type of quickness make life easier for the rest of the defense.

Pro Comparison: Pernell McPhee, Baltimore Ravens

Both McPhee and Floyd show the versatility and athleticism needed to play multiple positions on the defensive line. Floyd has a bit more size than McPhee, but is a bit undersized like the Ravens defensive lineman.

Video from Draftbreakdown.com: