Sharrif Floyd

Sharrif Kalil Floyd (born May 28, 1991) is an American professional football coach and former defensive tackle. He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors in 2012. Floyd was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft and retired in 2017 following a number of injuries. He became a coach in 2019.

Floyd was born on May 28, 1991, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended George Washington High School in Philadelphia, where he started varsity football for 3 of his 4 years at Washington, under head coach Ron Cohen. He totaled over 60 tackles, 6 sacks and I 43 tackles for losses during his junior season while tearing his ACL during a semifinal playoff game. He received an invitation to the annual U.S. Army National Combine in January 2009, but initially could not afford the travel costs to San Antonio, Texas. With help from special-education students and counselor, Dawn Seeger, Floyd baked brownies and sold them at school for weeks to raise the money. He was able to make the trip and earned first-team all-combine honors.Becoming the #1 ranked offensive lineman of his class. After his senior season at Washington High School, he was named a high school All-American by USA Today, Parade magazine, and EA Sports. He ended his high school career at the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Regarded as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Floyd was listed as the top defensive tackle prospect of the 2010 class. He chose Florida over eight other major Division I FBS college football programs, including Miami, Ohio State and USC.

Floyd accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida, where he played for coach Urban Meyer and coach Will Muschamp's Florida Gators football teams from 2010 to 2012. Arriving in Gainesville as the highest-rated football recruit since wide receiver Percy Harvin in 2006, Floyd was one of seven true freshmen to make a start for the Florida Gators in 2010. After three seasons for the Gators, Floyd totalled 115 tackles (26 of them for loss), 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass defended and blocked three field goals.

As a freshman in 2010, Floyd earned a starting spot and contributed with two tackles, including one for loss, in the Gators' win over Penn State in the 2011 Outback Bowl. For the season, he had 23 tackles (13 assisted and 10 solo) with 6.5 of them for loss.

As a sophomore in 2011, Floyd started the final 11 games of the season at defensive end, and totaled 46 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, a pass breakup and a blocked kick. He also tied for the team lead with four quarterback hurries. He registered his first career sack in the 2012 Gator Bowl against Ohio State, and followed it with an assisted sack on the very next play for a total loss of five yards.

During his 2012 junior season, Floyd moved back to his natural defensive tackle position, and had 31 tackles (including 19 solo). He also had a team-high 8.5 tackles for a loss, and was second with four quarterback hurries. After the season, he was recognized as first-team All-American by The Sporting News and received third-team honors from the Associated Press. He was also a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection.

After Florida's loss in the 2013 Sugar Bowl, Floyd announced his decision to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.

As of late January 2013, Floyd was projected to be a late-first round selection, and the fourth defensive tackle off the board, according to Sports Illustrated. After the combine, SI moved Floyd up to the No. 3 selection overall, and No. 1 among defensive tackles. In early April, CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco projected Floyd to go second overall, calling him "the best player in this draft". Floyd was listed as a defensive tackle, but was considered to be best fit as a defensive end in a 3–4 defensive alignment.