2013 NFL Draft: Predicting the Draft’s Four Biggest Busts

Sharrif Floyd, DT, Minnesota Vikings

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces Sharrif Floyd (Florida) as the number twenty-three overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Lots of people thought Sharrif Floyd could end up in Oakland with the third pick in the draft, but he ended up falling to 23rd.

Floyd is a player who needs to be in the right system to succeed, and he’s a player who was overrated by the media. Floyd isn’t a great fit in a 3-4,but he doesn’t have lots of experience in a 4-3, so lots of teams passed him up. Minnesota runs a 4-3 defense, so Floyd, who is better off attacking the quarterback, will be able to fit in nicely. However, he still isn’t going to be great.

The defensive tackle only registered three sacks in 2012, and he finished the year with a mere 46 tackles. Floyd is 6’3″ and 297 pounds, and even though he is versatile his size and speed doesn’t make him a great fit at any one position. Floyd isn’t as big as the lineman in the trenches, and his 40-yard dash time of 4.92 seconds means that he can’t blow by lineman with speed.

Floyd climbed draft boards in between the end of the 2012 season and the draft, but he was passed up on by lots of teams. Floyd ran a 3-4 defense in college and wasn’t bad, so he can play in a 3-4, but a 4-3 is likely best for him. We could see some issues with the transition, which would only make things worse for Floyd.

Aaron Rodgers is a notable example of a high-profile player who fell on draft day and came back to perform well, but Floyd isn’t going to be the same player. His stock was unreasonably inflated, and while he has talent and athleticism he is overrated. Floyd never produced much in college, and he won’t produce much in the NFL in terms of stats. Floyd may be able to get some hurries on the quarterback, but it may be tough for him as well.

Floyd is going to go up against heavier lineman, so he will have to prove that he can handle some elite interior lineman. His versatility is a huge positive, but he doesn’t have the speed to be a defensive end and he may not have the strength to be a defensive tackle. Floyd, like all other draft prospects, is untested in the NFL, so it’s yet to be seen whether he can produce at a high level against the best of the best.

However, unless he is able to use his athleticism and get to the quarterback more often than expected, Floyd won’t live up to expectations.