2015 NFL Draft: Explaining “Ceiling” And “Floor” Prospects
By Erik Lambert
High Floor
Now for players with a high floor it’s a different scenario. These types are what scouts and coaches usually refer to as “safe picks.” That is to say selecting them in the draft can done with a good deal of confidence that the team is a getting a player that will produce at an expected level. Why? Game tape, personality and history all indicate a great mixture of decent talent and excellent work ethic.
Example: Amari Cooper
Oct 18, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
The star Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper doesn’t look like anything special at 6’1″, 211 lbs. He runs a solid but unremarkable 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. What sets him apart is not any one thing but the overall product. Cooper does everything well. Very committed to his craft as a route runner and goes hard on each snap, using not only his body but his mind to beat defenders to the ball. His consistency is proven in his reliable knack for producing at least one big play every game.
That is what high floor prospects do. They may not all be superstars, but they are there game in and game out when their team needs them.
The idea behind the comparisons is that ceiling represents upside and floor represents the minimum of what a team is getting. So the next time you hear an analyst reference either on the way to the 2015 NFL draft, you’ll know what to think of that player.