The War Room: Anthony Floyd, S, Louisville 
Safety
Anthony Floyd
College: Louisville
Year: Senior
Height: 5’10"
Weight: 201
Birthday: February 1, 1981
Strengths: Free safety Anthony Floyd combines with strong safety Curry Burns to form Louisville’s "Stick & Pick" combination, one of the most productive safety tandems in college football over the last two years. Floyd provides the "Pick" – as a sophomore, he led the nation and broke Ray Buchanan’s school single-season record with 10 interceptions. Last year, he added four more to capture the Louisville and Conference USA career interception titles as well.
Floyd rises to the occasion against quality competition. Against Florida State in 2000, he finished the game with six tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Floyd also keyed Louisville’s road upset of eleventh-ranked Southern Mississippi that season – he shut down the Golden Eagles’ first drive of the day with an interception in the endzone, and later picked off two more passes, including one that he returned 36 yards for a touchdown.
Floyd also contributes as a punt returner. He averaged 14.1 yards per return in 2001, including a 52-yard touchdown against the University of Houston.
Floyd has great range and closes quickly when the ball is in the air. As his 97 tackles in 2001 indicate, he is also a physical player is not afraid to come up in run support. Floyd’s greatest strengths, however, are his instincts and football smarts. He recognizes plays extremely rapidly and makes the quick decisions to get himself into position to make plays.
Areas for Concern: At only 5’10" tall, Floyd is undersized for an NFL free safety. He is more of a ballhawking centerfielder than a pure cover man, and may not have the skills to be a cornerback, a position where he started two games as a true freshman. At least in part because opponents had learned to stay away from him, Floyd did not make as many of the big plays as a junior that he had as a sophomore.
How Would He Look in Steel Blue? Floyd lacks the height for a safety and the cover skills to be cornerback, but he makes too many plays not to be considered a legitimate prospect. He has the on-field intelligence that the Texans value in a free safety and could also contribute as a nickel and dime back and as a punt returner. Floyd’s ability to pick up defensive concepts quickly would give him an advantage over other young defensive backs in the Texans’ complex defense and could allow him to get on the field early in his NFL career.
(profile written by Warren DeLuca)
Anthony Floyd’s 2001 Stats G TCK PBU INT FF FR 12 97 6 4 1 0 
Anthony Floyd 
Return to The War Room 
Click on a player’s name to preview other top S prospects:
>> Mike Doss
>> Anthony Floyd
>> Ken Hamlin
>> Terrence Holt
>> Troy Polamalu
