Leonard Floyd may make the most sense for the New York Giants at No. 10
By Ryan Disdier
The New York Giants hold the 10th overall pick in Thursday’s draft, and there’s a good chance they use the pick on Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.
The New York Giants haven’t drafted a linebacker in the first round since they took Carl Banks third overall back in 1984.
However, that streak may break this year, as Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd has emerged as a front-runner for the G-Men.
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ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently explained why Floyd would make sense for the Giants at No. 10.
"“I’m not saying Floyd will be the pick at No. 10. But I do know, based on conversations I had at the combine and have had since, that he’s a player the Giants like a lot. He tested great at the combine, with a 4.60 40-yard dash, a 10’7” broad jump and a 39.5-inch vertical. The Giants love players who flash top-of-their-position physical traits at the combine. (Remember them lauding Ereck Flowers’ 37 bench press reps after drafting him last year.) Given the kind of player he is and the way they draft, it’s not a stretch to imagine someone like Floyd as their first-round pick. Yes, even though he’s a linebacker.”"
Out of all the defensive prospects, I would say Floyd is the most likely defensive option for the Giants at No. 10. Floyd, 6’6″, would continue the Giants’ pass-rush overhaul, as he would provide the team with a nice burst off the edge. I think the best way to describe Floyd is by calling ‘interesting.’ Unlike fellow pass-rusher Joey Bosa, whom people seem to have no questions about, Floyd is tough to figure out.
If he’s unblocked, there’s a good chance he gets to the quarterback. He utilizes a variety of moves to get to the QB and he possesses natural pass-rush abilities. Floyd is crafty and creative in his pursuit to sack the quarterback, and you can’t teach that.
He plays with a high motor, and he brings a fun energy to the defensive side of the ball that can help invigorate a team. He gets sucked up field sometimes, but he uses his long limbs to finish plays.
Floyd also uses his athletic gifts to succeed in man coverage, too. Coverage ability is something the Giants have sorely lacked from their linebackers. Floyd is relatively thin, but he bulked up a bit prior to the combine, and there’s a good chance he packs on more pounds before the season actually starts.
“Watching Floyd’s explosiveness and relentless pursuit of the quarterback reminds me of a more athletic Aldon Smith.”
Still, people remain split on Floyd, but the general consensus is that he’s a bit of a project who has a good amount of upside and a relatively high ceiling.
NFL draft expert Mike Mayock broke down why he thinks Floyd is the most ‘conflicted’ player in this year’s draft, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
"“He showed up at the Combine bigger and heavier than all of us expected. And when you watch him play, he’s an off-the-line linebacker. They have him off the edge, they have him covering slots, his athletic ability is amazing and his burst off the edge is rare,” Mayock said. “So, at the end of the day, in a pass-first league, teams are going to lean toward what he can do as opposed to what he can’t do. And what he can do is get off the line and get off the edge.”"
The main thing to take away from Mayock’s words is the fact that amidst all the uncertainty about Floyd’s game, the one certainty is that he can rush the quarterback.
The big thing that will irk casual fans is his age. He’ll be 24 by the start of the season, and that’s never a great thing. Fans may also consider Floyd the worst-case defensive scenario, as guys like Shaq Lawson, DeForest Buckner and Vernon Hargreaves would be better options.
My initial issue with Floyd is that he projects to be a 3-4 outside linebacker because of his thin frame. So on paper, the marriage seems disjointed. However, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would be overjoyed to have a dynamic pass rusher to utilize on passing downs.
Honestly, I started this article hating the idea of the Giants drafting Floyd, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.
Floyd won’t be a star like Lawrence Taylor or Carl Banks, but from a depth perspective, Floyd would fill a lot of needs for the Giants. Even though he’s listed as a linebacker, Floyd’s versatility would be something that may help transcend the Giants defense.
The aforementioned Carl Banks touched upon Floyd’s versatility in a recent interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post.
"“I call him a convertible — first and second down, he’s a pure linebacker,” Banks said, “third down he converts to a pass rusher. Very good football IQ. I’ve seen about 70 or 80 plays on him. I know a lot of people think he’s old [23] for a rookie coming in. I don’t think it matters in a first contract. He’s got great size to be a convertible at linebacker. Good length. As a pass rusher, he can alter the trajectory of a quarterback pass in passing lines. He can go backwards in zone defense. He can also change throwing lanes in zone coverage. If he’s the best available player in the first round, you take him. I don’t see why not. I think he would be a high-production football player at that position.”"
There’s no denying Floyd’s pass-rushing ability. If you’re looking for a pro comparison from me, Floyd’s explosiveness and relentless pursuit of the quarterback reminds me of a more athletic Aldon Smith. Like Floyd, Smith was considered a bit thin entering the league, but he winded up recording 14 sacks in his first year. The Giants would obviously be lucky to have a player resembling Smith’s pass-rushing ability, but that’s the type of player Floyd may turn out to be.
For what it’s worth, Floyd actually performed better — Floyd ran a 4.60 40-yard time, Smith ran a 4.78. Floyd posted a 39 inch vertical, while Smith recorded 34 inches. Smith’s 118 inch broad jump also paled in comparison to Floyd’s 127 inch — at the Combine than Smith did.
As a rookie, Floyd would likely see most of his action in sub packages, mostly on passing downs. He would probably be the best cover linebacker on the team, and that would be a relief for a team that had ‘Uani Unga in coverage for a large portion of the year.
Floyd would give the Giants a good variety of pass-rushers to unleash, and he would get a lot of one-on-one opportunities playing on a defensive line with edge-rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon. He won’t be a ‘starter,’ but he’ll see a lot of time.
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Floyd may be a bit of a project, but his upside is certainly something that will appeal to the Giants at No. 10. After all, the Giants are looking for players who can step in and contribute from right away. Floyd won’t be taking home any Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, but he would make the defense better, and give the Giants another dynamic pass-rusher for the next eight years.