Leonard Floyd continues to shine while future remains in question
ATHENS -- It takes a special breed of football player to combine physical ability on the field with leadership traits that influence up-and-coming teammates. For cornerback Malkom Parrish, linebacker Leonard Floyd is one of those select players.
"You see your star and your leader make mistakes and see the way he handles it," Parrish said. "It teaches the young guys, 'I don't need to get mad. I just need to work harder, learn my plays and keep calm.' That's exactly what he shows."
Floyd serves as a workhorse for the Bulldogs' defense. He has overcome shoulder surgery at the end of the 2014 regular season and now stands as one of Georgia's top tacklers, alongside fellow linebacker Jake Ganus. Floyd is fresh off his best performance of the season, a 12-tackle game in a victory over Georgia Southern on Saturday. His junior season helped him become one of five finalists for the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation's top linebacker.
The big question now is what happens next.
The Dodge County product flirted with leaving Georgia after his sophomore season but decided to return. He said he wanted to chase a championship, which didn't come to fruition. But he also pointed to learning more from defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. Floyd said he better understands how the defensive positions interact and the accountability that each player places on the other 10.
As of now, Floyd said he has not made a decision on staying in college or turning pro.
"I'm going to definitely talk to my circle, which is my people I trust the most," Floyd said. "I plan on talking to them after the (Georgia) Tech game. Probably the following week, we'll start making my decision."
The situation isn't simple, according to Floyd. His mind doesn't revolve around an impending paycheck and suiting up every Sunday next fall. Plus, a championship hunt with Georgia still weighs heavy on his mind. His words bear no semblance of someone anxious to start a professional career, at least, not yet.
"Some people do it for more than just going to the league," Floyd said. "Some people just love college and love playing college football."
If Floyd is indeed wrapping up his career at Georgia, three moments stick out in the 23-year-old's mind.
The most recent came Saturday, when the Georgia crowd illuminated Sanford Stadium with the lights on their iPhones. He also pointed toward the LSU game his freshman season, when he produced a fourth-quarter sack that helped the Bulldogs claim victory. Sandwiched in the middle was Todd Gurley's emotional return against Auburn last year.
Absent from the list is his 96-yard fumble return touchdown against Tennessee earlier this season. Floyd noticeably was gassed by the time he scored and spent little time celebrating what happened. When the play was mentioned, he quickly denied its consideration for the list.
"I know I can run faster than that for sure," Floyd said. "I'm pretty down on myself about that play, but it was a good play."
Whether Floyd returns to Georgia for his senior season or declares for the NFL draft, he established himself as a constant contributor for the Bulldogs. He filled the role of inside linebacker to start the season before transitioning back to the outside and showed no hesitation in the move. He simply showed up to play for Georgia and proved himself capable where the coaches placed him.
His example is one Parrish thinks players even outside of the Georgia program should study closely.
"He showed you how the game should be played," Parrish said. "That's one thing I'm going to remember. To me, he's a complete football player. I think as an individual, if you love ball, you should look at him."
This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Leonard Floyd continues to shine while future remains in question ."