Michael Floyd, projected to be a top-15 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has opted to stay at Notre Dame for his senior year. With the Jan. 15 deadline to declare for the draft looming, players are making their intentions known, and Floyd was no exception. In the latest 2011 NFL mock draft, Floyd was projected to head to the NFL West, taken by the St. Louis Rams with the No. 14 pick in the draft.
Notre Dame sent out a press release on Wednesday morning to announce Floyd would be back.
This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life," Floyd said. "On the one hand, there was Notre Dame. This place has been an incredible home to me and the relationships I built here are ones I know I’ll have for the rest of my life. On the other hand, there was the NFL. It has always been a lifelong goal to play football at the highest level and that is something I look forward to doing at some point
Floyd finished the 2010 season with 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Irish. With a top-heavy draft class in 2011, headlined by Georgia’s A.J. Green, this may be a case where it was in his best interest to return to school for one more year. His return is great news for Notre Dame, who returns much of its core in 2011 as they look to get back on track.