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Sharrif Floyd Says Being Drafted By Eagles Would Be 'A Blessing'

By Spike Eskin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – When Vinny Curry was selected with the 59th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Eagles, it meant he'd be playing for the team he rooted for growing up. Florida tackle Sharrif Floyd is hoping for a similar situation this year.

"That would kind of be a blessing. I mean I leave to go to Florida for college, and just to return right back to my hometown to play in the NFL with the best of the best," Floyd told 94WIP's Michael Barkann and Ike Reese. Floyd, a defensive tackle, went to Washington High School in Philadelphia, then started as a freshman for the University of Florida. He was a first team All-America selection in 2012 for the Gators. Floyd is now projected to be a top five pick in most mock drafts.

LISTEN: Mike and Ike interview Sharrif Floyd

"It would mean the world to me, just to go as high as everybody is expecting. Or even just to get a chance to step in, and put my foot in the door because a lot of dudes don't get the chance. I just want to take it for what it is and take advantage of it and I'm one of those guys that just doesn't want to be a face passing through the league. I want to be there 13, 14 years and when I'm done they say, 'that was a player right there'. When you ask the question towards somebody, 'how do you feel about Sharrif Floyd?' The one word that should come out is, nasty. I want to be known as something great, not as a player that just stopped and left," Floyd said.

Being a possible #1 overall pick wasn't always the projection for Floyd -- and then the NFL Scouting Combine happened. The combine may have been the final piece of the puzzle that puts Floyd at the top of the draft, and he was confident in his approach.

"I was talking to a couple of the players down at IMG before we got out to Indianapolis," Floyd said. "Just sat down just giving them a mental outlook on how I was thinking about it. 'We've been doing this all our life, we've been doing this since eight grade, some of ya'll since little league. Why get nervous now? Why put that mental pressure on yourself now? This is where you step-up. This is where you show them, I've been doing this for awhile coach. This is nothing. This is like second-wind. This is like breathing.'"

 

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