Georgia’s Leonard Floyd taken by Bears in first round of NFL draft

Leonard Floyd is heading to the Windy City.

Floyd was taken by the Chicago Bears with the ninth overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft. Floyd’s draft stock steadily rose from the start of the end of the college football season. Floyd, who bypassed his final season of eligibility to turn pro, finished his collegiate career with 182 tackles and 17 sacks.

The Bears traded with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move from No. 11 to No. 9 to take Floyd.

Floyd possesses a lot of athleticism and upside with his ability to rush the quarterback. Although Floyd recorded only 4 1/2 sacks in 2015, the fewest during his college career, he routinely got after the quarterback playing multiple positions. Floyd was primarily positioned at outside linebacker, but also played inside linebacker and nickel cornerback over the course of the past three seasons.

At the beginning of the draft season, Floyd was projected as a late first-rounder and possible second-round pick. After measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 241 pounds at the NFL combine, Floyd began to rise up draft boards and gain some added attention. He also ran a 4.60 40-yard dash, which was fifth-best of any linebacker at the combine.

While Floyd was a 3-4 outside linebacker, it’s believed he can still be a linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, especially considering NFL teams don’t typically stay in base fronts anymore. With Floyd’s versatility in playing multiple positions at Georgia, he’s thought of as an athlete who can fit into any scheme.

With the Bears, however, Floyd will play in a 3-4 scheme.

Floyd gives Georgia a first-round pick for the second consecutive year. In 2015, the Los Angeles Rams took running back Todd Gurley in the first round with the 10th overall pick. Floyd’s selection gives Georgia 31 first-round selections and 15 top-10 picks in program history.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Georgia’s Leonard Floyd taken by Bears in first round of NFL draft."