Chicago Bears draft prospect profile: Leonard Floyd

With his performances in the NFL Combine, Leonard Floyd is rising among the ranks. Would the Chicago Bears take a look at him in the first round?

The Chicago Bears have been linked to a variety of players in the first round. Some have them picking a defensive lineman, while others have them going with an edge rusher. Heck, there are some who have them going with a running back or wide receiver!

In my latest mock draft, I had the Bears going with cornerback Vernon Hargreaves. If he is there at eleven, he is the best player available, something general manager Ryan Pace wants.

I am torn, however. I look at head coach John Fox and what he wants in his defense, since that is what Pace is concentrating on.

Fox values edge rushers to put pressure on the quarterback. In 2002, as coach of the Carolina Panthers, he went after defensive end Julius Peppers, a pass rusher in a 4-3 defensive scheme. In 2011, as coach of the Denver Broncos, he went after outside linebacker Von Miller, a pass rusher in a 3-4 defensive scheme.

While there are many good options for the Chicago Bears in the first round, with Fox I think he will go to what he likes. He likes putting pressure on the quarterback. In 2015, the Bears ranked 22nd in sacks with 35.

Fox wants to increase that number in 2016.

There are some good outside linebackers available in the draft for the Bears to pick. Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith are good, but Jack may be picked early, and both he and Smith are recovering from serious injuries. In fact, Smith may not even play in 2016 because of his injury.

Noah Spence is another great pass rusher, but he has a drug history that I think the Chicago Bears won’t be able to get past.

One prospect who has shot up the rankings is Georgia’s Leonard Floyd.

A couple of months ago, Floyd was projected to be a late first round or early second round pick.

Then he excelled in the NFL Combine.

In Indianapolis, the 6-foot-6, 244 pound Floyd ran a surprisingly fast 4.60 40-yard dash, an excellent time for a man his size. He also had a 39.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7 broad jump. Those last two measurements go to show how much raw explosiveness he has.

That demonstration got people talking, and his stock started rising. Now a lot of scouts have him as the second-rated outside linebacker.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper had the Chicago Bears picking Floyd at eleven. He was one who had Floyd originally going in the early second round.

“I keep hearing from everyone I talk to in the league and they’re saying, ‘Hey, he’s going in the top part of the first round. This is a mock draft based on what you predict will happen and that’s what I’m hearing on Floyd, somewhere in the top half of round one. The Bears could certainly use a pass rusher opposite of Pernell McPhee.”

Floyd was on his way to impressing scouts on Georgia’s Pro Day, but a case of food poisoning cut his day short. He even gained four pounds (he weighed in at 248), and he will probably need to gain more.

Some may say Floyd is not an elite pass rusher because he only had 4.5 sacks in 2015, but the Bulldogs used him a great deal in the inside to utilize his athleticism. In the pros, he will play the majority of his snaps on the outside, though defensive coordinator loves to have moving pieces, so Floyd may play some inside.

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NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter listed Floyd as one of the prospects who could be better pros than they were in college.

"Floyd’s sack totals from the previous three seasons (6.5 in 2013, 6 in 2014, 4.5 in 2015) would not lead one to believe that he is an elite pass-rush prospect. However, reviewing his role in the Bulldogs’ defense shows a versatility that should be intriguing to NFL teams. His coaches moved him inside in order to take advantage of his athleticism and strength, even though he was playing at a trim 6-foot-5, 240 pounds last season. If he’s given a chance to use his natural bend and length on the edge, as he was earlier in his career, by a team that regularly utilizes stand-up pass rushers (e.g. Bears, Colts, Jets), his production should greatly increase."

Floyd could just be hitting his stride, and could burst onto the NFL scene and make an impact.

Next: Chicago Bears Mock Draft 3.0: Added Versatility

Fox’s philosophy of drafting pass rushers led him to two Super Bowl appearances. Actually, it helped the Broncos win one in his absence. Since it has been successful, he and Pace may try it in Chicago. Hopefully, it brings the same results.

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