Turns out, it wasn’t just loyalty to the University of Georgia that kept Leonard Floyd from entering the NFL draft.
A bum shoulder helped make returning for another season an easy decision for the Bulldogs’ standout outside linebacker.
Georgia coach Mark Richt revealed Wednesday that Floyd underwent shoulder surgery on Tuesday and will not play in the Bulldogs’ Belk Bowl matchup against Louisville on Dec. 30. Richt said a timetable for Floyd’s return has not been established yet.
“Leonard will not be available for this game,” Richt said at Georgia’s Belk Bowl media day news conference on Wednesday. “Leonard actually had some surgery (Tuesday) to clean up his shoulder. We wanted to give him the maximum amount of time to be prepared for his (junior) year. So we made the determination to do that.”
Floyd is a redshirt sophomore. NFL draft rules stipulate a player must be three years removed from their high school graduation to be eligible for the draft, a criteria he meets. Some mock drafts projected Floyd as a potential first-round selection.
Floyd played in all 12 of the Bulldogs’ games this past season, starting 11. He played mostly outside linebacker (sometimes Star) and finished the season with 55 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and a team-best six sacks.
Floyd is one of four draft-eligible underclassmen who have already informed Richt of their intentions to return for next season. Fellow outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell and offensive tackle John Theus are the others.
Asked if Floyd’s shoulder injury factored in his decision to return, Richt said, “you’d have to ask Leonard. I don’t know.”
Floyd was unavailable for comment.
Floyd’s absence will likely mean another start for Lorenzo Carter and more playing time for Davin Bellamy. Carter, a 6-foot-6, 237-pound true freshman from Norcross, started four games this season. He was named SEC defensive player of the week after his first one, recording 9 tackles and 2.5 sacks in a win over Kentucky. He enters the bowl with 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Bellamy, a 6-5, 240-pound redshirt freshman from Chamblee, had 17 tackes in 10 games.
About the Author
