And with this tweet, we’re off to the races.
John Walters kick-started the inevitable news on the decision that Michael Floyd needs to make before the 15th of the month, the day early-entrants are required to declare for the NFL Draft.
While Walters’ source claims an announcement is happening tomorrow, that’s highly unlikely with Floyd still in Minnesota until tomorrow morning, when he’s set to fly back to South Bend and meet with Brian Kelly in the afternoon.
After speaking with two different sources close to Floyd, I’m hearing that the junior has honestly not made a decision yet, and won’t make one until after he meets with Coach Kelly tomorrow. Could he announce he’s going to the NFL tomorrow? Techinically yes, but there’d be a lot of logistics involved and not a lot of time to get things together on ND’s end. Part of what makes this decision hard are pressures weighing on Michael in both directions.
In ND’s corner is the fact that Mike loves being at Notre Dame and enjoys his time at Notre Dame, with his teammates, and the coaching staff. In the NFL’s corner is a financial comfort zone -- regardless of what round he goes in -- that’ll help get his mother out of a tough neighborhood and get Floyd away from an offense where he could feel he’s plateaued, especially in the offensive system he was used in this year and with the Irish’s struggles to do much offensively this season.
As reported by other sources, Floyd did receive his grading from the NFL Advisory board and it was reportedly a third round grade. Members of Floyd’s inner circle, which also includes former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, have also done some digging on Floyd’s behalf, and depending on the forty time he puts up at the Combine, he could also go in the Top 17 of the draft. That’s quite a difference, being picked outside of the top 90 picks to being picked in the first round, and that variance is part of what makes this decision so difficult.
The good news for all parties involved is that Floyd’s taking the decision very seriously and doing it with counsel that has his best interests at heart. Staying in school for another season or taking the leap to the NFL, Floyd can’t make a bad decision.