KamaraPolice
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Well, then I'll leave it at that, I take your word on it.
'08 MN WR Michael Floyd (Signed LOI to ND)
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KamaraPolice
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No luck on the tuxedo shirted mullet guy, but this is pretty close.
I can't think of a better way to advertise a wig than with an outfit you wont be wearing it with.
I can't think of a better way to advertise a wig than with an outfit you wont be wearing it with.
GoshenGipper
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Yes there are. You can be a silent verbal all you want, you just can't go around visiting other schools. Flemming was a silent verbal for several weeks before he announced the weekend of the Blue/Gold Game.
johnnd05
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johnnd05
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From the Pioneer Press:
Nothing important we didn't know, I guess. I hadn't known that his HS quarterback was going to UMN, though.
Nothing important we didn't know, I guess. I hadn't known that his HS quarterback was going to UMN, though.
johnnd05
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(HT: IUB)
Cretin-Derham Hall's receiver completes his route
By Dean Spiros, Star Tribune
Last update: August 29, 2007 – 8:39 PM
<script type="text/javascript"> <!-- OAS_AD('sponsor01'); --> </script>
Where's he going?
School doesn't start for a couple more hours, yet there's Michael Floyd hopping on a city bus on St. Paul's east side at 6 a.m. Changing buses downtown, he makes it across town to Cretin-Derham Hall High School in time to start his work study program by 6:45.
He's off each morning with the blessings of his mother, a woman of deep faith who will be forever thankful for her son's fateful journey. Theresa Romero had cried after attending Cretin's summer open house four years ago, knowing as a single parent of five there was no way she could afford to send her son to the private school.
"It was a mom's dream," Romero said. "There is no way a kid can't make it there unless he absolutely doesn't want to."
Floyd assured his mom that, together, they could make it work. Their success story is about to resume in earnest as Floyd returns to the classroom for his senior year and to the national spotlight as a gifted wide receiver.
Floyd, 6-3, 205 pounds, a fluid sprinter with exceptional hands, can name the college he would like to play for next season, but has yet to do so. Notre Dame offered him a scholarship after his sophomore season, which is unprecedented in Cretin's storied athletic history.
Doors are continuing to open up for the kid who has had little more than a roof over his head.
Romero, "too poor" to buy the latest basketball shoes her son fell in love with while in Las Vegas last month for an AAU basketball tournament, gathered herself after yet more tears had fallen and apologized to her son for not taking advantage of her own educational opportunities. If the youngest of Romero's children -- and her only son -- is paying the price, he appears to have avoided the added expense that comes with bitterness.
"That's the position I'm in," Floyd said. "You just get over the humps. I've been doing it so far."
Floyd's job in Cretin's fitness center helps pay some of the tuition, and his mom works at the concession stands at the Metrodome and Xcel Energy Center. Romero knows the people at Cretin have played their part, too, just as her heart had told her they would four years ago.
"I didn't even know Cretin was known for sports," Romero said.
Floyd certainly did. Football has always been his game, and he identified Cretin as the place that could help him maximize his skills. His father, Michael Floyd Sr., who has never lived with the family but has remained a part of his son's life, always has stressed that doing the right thing applies both on and off the field.
So, for the most part, Floyd has said goodbye to his rough-and-tumble neighborhood and accepted a new way of life.
"I don't know if I would have ever done well in school if I didn't go to Cretin," said Floyd, who carries a B average in college prep courses. "They are really high on academics, and I try my hardest. You want to be a good athlete, but you don't want to be looked at as a dummy."
Floyd said his father is always telling him he doesn't want him outside when he's home, knowing that only bad things can come of it. Floyd has come to spend most of his free time in and around Cretin.
"The guys I used to hang out with before I went to Cretin are always getting into trouble," Floyd said. "I'd probably be doing the same."
Instead, he's out of the house at daybreak for a full day that won't end until 7 that night. He goes to bed anxious to get up the next morning and do it all again.
"There would have been easier paths for Michael to take," Cretin coach Mike Scanlan said, "but I think he chose not to because he understood what this school had to offer him. As much as he has been a gift to us, I'm sure he knows this has been a good place for him."
•••
Where's he going?
The July 26 flight that brought Floyd home from Las Vegas had him in bed by 2 a.m. He was up before 7, which he hoped would give him enough time to catch the bus to Cretin in time for offseason football training. When he missed the bus, he jumped on his bike and was on the field in time for stretching.
<table class="nextprevious" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="previouscell">
</td> <td class="previouscell" style="white-space: nowrap;">
</td> <td width="100%">
</td></tr></tbody></table>"That's Michael Floyd," Cretin assistant coach Andy Bischoff said. "He could have missed a day and no one would have said a word about it. But he wanted to be there."
That's it, Floyd said. It's fun. Football is his passion, and everyone around him knows it. Cretin basketball coach Jerry Kline Jr. feels fortunate Floyd still plays basketball at Cretin because he is the type of athlete who makes those around him better. Floyd won't pick up a basketball until the season starts, Kline said, but he still will show the type of talent that makes him a Division I-caliber player.
On the football field he simply dominates. Floyd had 63 catches last season, many of the acrobatic variety.
"The ball gets near him, he catches it," Scanlan said.
His performance already has made him a legend among the regulars at The Nook, a cozy bar/restaurant across the street from Cretin. There, the likes of Matt Birk, Joe Mauer and Steve Walsh, Cretin grads all, have been honored by having a sandwich named after them.
Floyd, a Nook devotee, would love to order a Michael Floyd burger one day.
"It's a brave statement, but I'd put him in the category of [Paul] Molitor, [Chris] Weinke, Walsh, guys who have gone on to Hall of Fame careers, Heisman Trophy winners, national championship winners," Scanlan said. "In terms of what they have been able to do and what he's able to do, he's in very elite company."
•••
Where's he going?
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, Florida's Urban Meyer and the Gophers' Tim Brewster are among those anxious to know.
Floyd and his mom accepted an invitation from Bischoff this summer to visit a handful a schools in the Midwest. Bischoff, also the dean of students at Cretin, volunteered to drive knowing Romero, who does not drive, did not have the means to make it happen.
After making an unofficial visit to Minnesota, Floyd traveled to Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame in a week's time. They stayed in Motel 6s to keep the cost down; Michael and his mom in one room, Bischoff in another.
They went through bags of sunflower seeds, and with Floyd taking the opportunity to catch up on his sleep in the back of the car, Romero and Bischoff spoke at length about where Floyd has come from and what likely lies ahead.
"With each place we visited there was a little bit better feeling for Michael," Bischoff said.
Floyd recently narrowed his choices to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida and the Gophers. Dozens of schools offered him full scholarships after seeing tape of his junior season. The one exception was USC, which wanted Floyd to attend one of its camps before making a decision. Floyd declined.
"Maybe he'll end up playing them, and then we'll see, because I've got to think Michael will remember that," Scanlan said. "He's not black Irish like I am, where you hang on to things for a long time, but I think Michael remembers."
Floyd will make his official visit to Notre Dame the weekend of Oct. 20, when the Irish play USC.
"You have to look at it as how you fit," Floyd said when asked what the deciding factor on picking a school will be. "Being comfortable is very important, and the people around you is a big thing. Without good people it's probably not going to be fun."
The goal has always been about making the most of one's opportunities.
"I knew God had a plan for my son," Romero said. "I just didn't know it was such a big plan."
Dean Spiros • dspiros@startribune.com
Cretin-Derham Hall's receiver completes his route
By Dean Spiros, Star Tribune
Last update: August 29, 2007 – 8:39 PM
<script type="text/javascript"> <!-- OAS_AD('sponsor01'); --> </script>
Where's he going?
School doesn't start for a couple more hours, yet there's Michael Floyd hopping on a city bus on St. Paul's east side at 6 a.m. Changing buses downtown, he makes it across town to Cretin-Derham Hall High School in time to start his work study program by 6:45.
He's off each morning with the blessings of his mother, a woman of deep faith who will be forever thankful for her son's fateful journey. Theresa Romero had cried after attending Cretin's summer open house four years ago, knowing as a single parent of five there was no way she could afford to send her son to the private school.
"It was a mom's dream," Romero said. "There is no way a kid can't make it there unless he absolutely doesn't want to."
Floyd assured his mom that, together, they could make it work. Their success story is about to resume in earnest as Floyd returns to the classroom for his senior year and to the national spotlight as a gifted wide receiver.
Floyd, 6-3, 205 pounds, a fluid sprinter with exceptional hands, can name the college he would like to play for next season, but has yet to do so. Notre Dame offered him a scholarship after his sophomore season, which is unprecedented in Cretin's storied athletic history.
Doors are continuing to open up for the kid who has had little more than a roof over his head.
Romero, "too poor" to buy the latest basketball shoes her son fell in love with while in Las Vegas last month for an AAU basketball tournament, gathered herself after yet more tears had fallen and apologized to her son for not taking advantage of her own educational opportunities. If the youngest of Romero's children -- and her only son -- is paying the price, he appears to have avoided the added expense that comes with bitterness.
"That's the position I'm in," Floyd said. "You just get over the humps. I've been doing it so far."
Floyd's job in Cretin's fitness center helps pay some of the tuition, and his mom works at the concession stands at the Metrodome and Xcel Energy Center. Romero knows the people at Cretin have played their part, too, just as her heart had told her they would four years ago.
"I didn't even know Cretin was known for sports," Romero said.
Floyd certainly did. Football has always been his game, and he identified Cretin as the place that could help him maximize his skills. His father, Michael Floyd Sr., who has never lived with the family but has remained a part of his son's life, always has stressed that doing the right thing applies both on and off the field.
So, for the most part, Floyd has said goodbye to his rough-and-tumble neighborhood and accepted a new way of life.
"I don't know if I would have ever done well in school if I didn't go to Cretin," said Floyd, who carries a B average in college prep courses. "They are really high on academics, and I try my hardest. You want to be a good athlete, but you don't want to be looked at as a dummy."
Floyd said his father is always telling him he doesn't want him outside when he's home, knowing that only bad things can come of it. Floyd has come to spend most of his free time in and around Cretin.
"The guys I used to hang out with before I went to Cretin are always getting into trouble," Floyd said. "I'd probably be doing the same."
Instead, he's out of the house at daybreak for a full day that won't end until 7 that night. He goes to bed anxious to get up the next morning and do it all again.
"There would have been easier paths for Michael to take," Cretin coach Mike Scanlan said, "but I think he chose not to because he understood what this school had to offer him. As much as he has been a gift to us, I'm sure he knows this has been a good place for him."
•••
Where's he going?
The July 26 flight that brought Floyd home from Las Vegas had him in bed by 2 a.m. He was up before 7, which he hoped would give him enough time to catch the bus to Cretin in time for offseason football training. When he missed the bus, he jumped on his bike and was on the field in time for stretching.
<table class="nextprevious" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="previouscell">
</td> <td class="previouscell" style="white-space: nowrap;">
</td> <td width="100%">
</td></tr></tbody></table>"That's Michael Floyd," Cretin assistant coach Andy Bischoff said. "He could have missed a day and no one would have said a word about it. But he wanted to be there."
That's it, Floyd said. It's fun. Football is his passion, and everyone around him knows it. Cretin basketball coach Jerry Kline Jr. feels fortunate Floyd still plays basketball at Cretin because he is the type of athlete who makes those around him better. Floyd won't pick up a basketball until the season starts, Kline said, but he still will show the type of talent that makes him a Division I-caliber player.
On the football field he simply dominates. Floyd had 63 catches last season, many of the acrobatic variety.
"The ball gets near him, he catches it," Scanlan said.
His performance already has made him a legend among the regulars at The Nook, a cozy bar/restaurant across the street from Cretin. There, the likes of Matt Birk, Joe Mauer and Steve Walsh, Cretin grads all, have been honored by having a sandwich named after them.
Floyd, a Nook devotee, would love to order a Michael Floyd burger one day.
"It's a brave statement, but I'd put him in the category of [Paul] Molitor, [Chris] Weinke, Walsh, guys who have gone on to Hall of Fame careers, Heisman Trophy winners, national championship winners," Scanlan said. "In terms of what they have been able to do and what he's able to do, he's in very elite company."
•••
Where's he going?
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, Florida's Urban Meyer and the Gophers' Tim Brewster are among those anxious to know.
Floyd and his mom accepted an invitation from Bischoff this summer to visit a handful a schools in the Midwest. Bischoff, also the dean of students at Cretin, volunteered to drive knowing Romero, who does not drive, did not have the means to make it happen.
After making an unofficial visit to Minnesota, Floyd traveled to Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame in a week's time. They stayed in Motel 6s to keep the cost down; Michael and his mom in one room, Bischoff in another.
They went through bags of sunflower seeds, and with Floyd taking the opportunity to catch up on his sleep in the back of the car, Romero and Bischoff spoke at length about where Floyd has come from and what likely lies ahead.
"With each place we visited there was a little bit better feeling for Michael," Bischoff said.
Floyd recently narrowed his choices to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida and the Gophers. Dozens of schools offered him full scholarships after seeing tape of his junior season. The one exception was USC, which wanted Floyd to attend one of its camps before making a decision. Floyd declined.
"Maybe he'll end up playing them, and then we'll see, because I've got to think Michael will remember that," Scanlan said. "He's not black Irish like I am, where you hang on to things for a long time, but I think Michael remembers."
Floyd will make his official visit to Notre Dame the weekend of Oct. 20, when the Irish play USC.
"You have to look at it as how you fit," Floyd said when asked what the deciding factor on picking a school will be. "Being comfortable is very important, and the people around you is a big thing. Without good people it's probably not going to be fun."
The goal has always been about making the most of one's opportunities.
"I knew God had a plan for my son," Romero said. "I just didn't know it was such a big plan."
Dean Spiros • dspiros@startribune.com
BDIrish4ever
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This guy would be "The Crown Jewel" of this recruiting class. I hope that ND is the place he can continue his amazing life story.
KamaraPolice
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Great article, I'll route for him wherever he goes.
The Polish Irishman
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sure would be nice to see him Irish, This kid will be something special
Sureal
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This kid has role model written all over him. These are the type of young men that these kids should be able to look to (besides their parents). Especially for someone growing up in a tough circumstance that he is in. He can inspire a lot of kids. I hope we get him.
LuckoftheIrish86
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Buckeyes to land top WR recruit
Posted: Sunday September 02, 2007 09:09AM ET
After all his recruiting visits are completed this year, look for wide receiver Michael Floyd of Cretin-Derham Hall to end up committing to Ohio State.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
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Posted: Sunday September 02, 2007 09:09AM ET
After all his recruiting visits are completed this year, look for wide receiver Michael Floyd of Cretin-Derham Hall to end up committing to Ohio State.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
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Junkhead
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What?
This guy is a joke.
His 9/2 article link is: TwinCities.com - Charley Walters
On 7/31, he said that Floyd is going to ND. http://www.twincities.com/walters/ci_6503682
He doesn't know crap.
His 9/2 article link is: TwinCities.com - Charley Walters
On 7/31, he said that Floyd is going to ND. http://www.twincities.com/walters/ci_6503682
He doesn't know crap.
Ultimate Penn St. Hater
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He must have a lot of time on his hands.
GoshenGipper
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Michael told a Buckeye website that ND is his leader, but he would still like to take officials to UM, OSU, and UF to see what's out there, however he probably won't take all 5 visits.
KamaraPolice
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After reading about his summer spent driving around to visit campuses with his coach and mom, I can't blame the kid for wanting to take officials on someone elses dime.
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Thats what I like to hear. Go Irish!
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Here's another great profile of Mike Floyd, which I don't think I posted before:
Complete Package
(Michael Floyd, Cretin-Derham Hall H.S. football)
Cretin-Derham Hall's Michael Floyd is more than just an extraordinary wide receiver. He maintains a 3.3 grade-point average, works before school to pay his tuition and stays levelheaded with help from family and friends.
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 08/31/2007 01:44:00 PM CDT
STORY BY RAY RICHARDSON PIONEER PRESS
Michael Floyd has read "Native Son," the 1940 literary classic by Richard Wright.
He is close to finishing another novel that landed on Oprah Winfrey's popular Book Club list.
Floyd's oral presentations in a class at Cretin-Derham Hall indicate a bright future as a businessman or teacher.
"Michael has the ability to communicate in front of a group," Cretin-Derham Hall English teacher Mike Main said.
Floyd, 17, also knows how to keep a commitment. Every weekday morning, he goes to Cretin-Derham Hall before the school opens to help clean classrooms and other areas as part of a work-study program to help pay off his yearly $8,800 tuition.
Somewhere between the reading, classroom speeches and cleaning duties, Floyd has found the time to develop into one of the nation's top high school wide receivers. Blending education, work and football is a tedious balancing act for the 6-foot-4 senior, but Floyd prefers it that way.
He doesn't want to be the typical, "it's-my-world" star athlete.
"A lot of athletes might be good, but they don't take care of their grades," Floyd said. "I don't want to be that way. We have to get Cs to be eligible here, but Cs are like Fs to me."
Floyd has maintained at least a 3.3 grade-point average, which makes him an even more attractive prospect for major college football programs.
Although Floyd is one of the nation's most sought-after receivers, teachers and administrators
Advertisement
don't give him special treatment. That comes from opposing coaches trying to come up with game plans to defend him.
ANOTHER RAIDERS STAR
Floyd is the most celebrated football recruit in Minnesota since former Cretin-Derham Hall star Joe Mauer was ranked No. 2 nationally in 2001 by Rivals.com, a leading national scouting service for high school sports.
The Twins catcher was a quarterback for the Raiders and had accepted a scholarship offer from Florida State but chose to play professional baseball.
Floyd is ranked No. 52 among Rivals' top 100 prospects for the class of 2008 and eighth among the nation's wide receivers. He helped lead Cretin-Derham Hall to a 10-1 record last season with 63 catches for 1,240 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Like Mauer, Floyd is a multi-sport athlete. He dabbles in basketball as a small forward, but football is the sport that has made him a coveted recruit. Floyd has narrowed his list of colleges he is considering to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Minnesota and Florida. All five, and numerous others, have offered scholarships.
Three months ago, in an effort to ease the recruiting crunch, he told the coaching staff at the University of Southern California he was scratching USC from his list, which is a tall order when you consider the Trojans have produced a number of blue-chip receivers who went on to play in the NFL.
"It would be nice to see him stay closer to home, but the decision is ultimately up to him," Michael Floyd Sr., a truck driver, said of his son. "He's got time to decide on things. All we want him to do now is concentrate on his academics and the season."
Floyd has shown his parents he can make good decisions, including four years ago when he persuaded his mom and dad to let him take the Cretin-Derham Hall entrance exam. When Floyd graduated from Hazel Park Elementary School on St. Paul's Lower East Side, he did not want to go to Johnson, a school only five blocks from his home.
Floyd sensed he would have a better future at Cretin-Derham Hall. He and longtime friend Shady Salamon, now the Raiders' starting running back, went to an orientation meeting for the school and were hooked.
To this day, Floyd believes that enrolling at Cretin-Derham Hall as a freshman was a turning point in his life.
"I probably wouldn't be the person I am if I had gone to Johnson or a public school," Floyd said. "I'm not trying to put them down or anything, but the people here at Cretin are so nice and respectful, and the school has so many connections. It's a good feeling to come here every day and hear 'good mornings' or 'thank yous.' You didn't get that all the time in public schools."
THE GROUP
Floyd's peace of mind at Cretin-Derham Hall has opened up his personality. In the locker room before and after practices, his voice can be heard above the chatter. If someone mentions a funny scene from a movie, he will act out the part and recite the lines, drawing laughs.
Joking around with teammates has become one of Floyd's escapes from the recruiting pressures. He often spends the night at the home of tight end Tommy Hannon, who lives close to their school.
Hannon, Salamon and Floyd are part of a tight-knit circle at Cretin-Derham Hall known as The Group. Other members include linebacker Torres Tillman, quarterback John Nance and wide receiver Devonte Davis, Floyd's nephew. Davis, a junior, is the son of Floyd's older sister, Fachon.
The Group sits together at lunch in the cafeteria and hangs out together after school whenever possible. One of the rules in The Group is to keep football talk to a minimum.
"Michael can be a real goofy guy sometimes," said Salamon, friends with Floyd since fifth grade. "He keeps my spirits up when I've been down about things. He's made my day better a lot of times."
The Group also is therapy for Floyd. He rarely is asked about his recruiting situation, which has become a sensitive subject.
A few weeks ago, he decided not to talk publicly anymore about his college decision or which schools he is considering. Cretin-Derham Hall football coach Mike Scanlan and offensive line coach Andy Bishoff met with Floyd and his parents to discuss the best way to handle the process.
An agreement was made that Bishoff would handle all communication from college coaches and set up Floyd's five official visits, the NCAA maximum. Floyd plans to take his visits later in the fall, and he will have final say if he wants to take all five.
"We've never had to worry about Michael making bad choices or decisions," said Floyd's mother, Theresa Romero, a merchandiser for Macy's at Mall of America. "He's shown me and his dad that he can follow the right path."
THE FAMILY
Floyd grew up with four older sisters. His parents never lived together, so he often was the only male in the home. Floyd said he and his father remain close and spend a lot of time together. Both parents attend every Cretin-Derham Hall football game.
"Both parents are on the same page when it comes to what's best for Michael," Scanlan said. "Michael came to Cretin with things I like in a kid, and a lot of that came from his parents. We've never had a problem with him, not even as his stature has grown."
When Floyd was old enough, he took advantage of every opportunity to get out of the house to play football or basketball at the nearest playground. In order to keep that privilege with his mom, he had to learn about curfews and avoiding trouble - something he has perfected as much as a fade route or a diving catch.
He also has to finish the books his mom wants him to read each summer. Floyd has been busy this year, but he's doing his best to wrap up Billie Letts' "Where the Heart Is," a book endorsed by Oprah's Book Club. Floyd has to read it for a fall seminars class.
"I'll get it done before school starts," Floyd said. "I don't want to be in class looking stupid because I don't know what's going on."
Floyd's IQ for avoiding trouble was evident two years ago when he rode a friend's bicycle to a house party. While Floyd was dancing with a girl, he noticed two boys giving him "strange looks." Rather than question the boys, Floyd immediately left the party after the song ended. He was in such a hurry to leave that he left his friend's bike at the house. The bike was gone the next day.
When Floyd got a new bike, he gave it to his friend.
"My friends know that I'll try to help them whenever I can, especially when they help me," Floyd said. "My teammates know that, too. Without them, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in today. They've helped me so much to get to this point."
Complete Package
(Michael Floyd, Cretin-Derham Hall H.S. football)
Cretin-Derham Hall's Michael Floyd is more than just an extraordinary wide receiver. He maintains a 3.3 grade-point average, works before school to pay his tuition and stays levelheaded with help from family and friends.
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 08/31/2007 01:44:00 PM CDT
STORY BY RAY RICHARDSON PIONEER PRESS
Michael Floyd has read "Native Son," the 1940 literary classic by Richard Wright.
He is close to finishing another novel that landed on Oprah Winfrey's popular Book Club list.
Floyd's oral presentations in a class at Cretin-Derham Hall indicate a bright future as a businessman or teacher.
"Michael has the ability to communicate in front of a group," Cretin-Derham Hall English teacher Mike Main said.
Floyd, 17, also knows how to keep a commitment. Every weekday morning, he goes to Cretin-Derham Hall before the school opens to help clean classrooms and other areas as part of a work-study program to help pay off his yearly $8,800 tuition.
Somewhere between the reading, classroom speeches and cleaning duties, Floyd has found the time to develop into one of the nation's top high school wide receivers. Blending education, work and football is a tedious balancing act for the 6-foot-4 senior, but Floyd prefers it that way.
He doesn't want to be the typical, "it's-my-world" star athlete.
"A lot of athletes might be good, but they don't take care of their grades," Floyd said. "I don't want to be that way. We have to get Cs to be eligible here, but Cs are like Fs to me."
Floyd has maintained at least a 3.3 grade-point average, which makes him an even more attractive prospect for major college football programs.
Although Floyd is one of the nation's most sought-after receivers, teachers and administrators
Advertisement
don't give him special treatment. That comes from opposing coaches trying to come up with game plans to defend him.
ANOTHER RAIDERS STAR
Floyd is the most celebrated football recruit in Minnesota since former Cretin-Derham Hall star Joe Mauer was ranked No. 2 nationally in 2001 by Rivals.com, a leading national scouting service for high school sports.
The Twins catcher was a quarterback for the Raiders and had accepted a scholarship offer from Florida State but chose to play professional baseball.
Floyd is ranked No. 52 among Rivals' top 100 prospects for the class of 2008 and eighth among the nation's wide receivers. He helped lead Cretin-Derham Hall to a 10-1 record last season with 63 catches for 1,240 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Like Mauer, Floyd is a multi-sport athlete. He dabbles in basketball as a small forward, but football is the sport that has made him a coveted recruit. Floyd has narrowed his list of colleges he is considering to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Minnesota and Florida. All five, and numerous others, have offered scholarships.
Three months ago, in an effort to ease the recruiting crunch, he told the coaching staff at the University of Southern California he was scratching USC from his list, which is a tall order when you consider the Trojans have produced a number of blue-chip receivers who went on to play in the NFL.
"It would be nice to see him stay closer to home, but the decision is ultimately up to him," Michael Floyd Sr., a truck driver, said of his son. "He's got time to decide on things. All we want him to do now is concentrate on his academics and the season."
Floyd has shown his parents he can make good decisions, including four years ago when he persuaded his mom and dad to let him take the Cretin-Derham Hall entrance exam. When Floyd graduated from Hazel Park Elementary School on St. Paul's Lower East Side, he did not want to go to Johnson, a school only five blocks from his home.
Floyd sensed he would have a better future at Cretin-Derham Hall. He and longtime friend Shady Salamon, now the Raiders' starting running back, went to an orientation meeting for the school and were hooked.
To this day, Floyd believes that enrolling at Cretin-Derham Hall as a freshman was a turning point in his life.
"I probably wouldn't be the person I am if I had gone to Johnson or a public school," Floyd said. "I'm not trying to put them down or anything, but the people here at Cretin are so nice and respectful, and the school has so many connections. It's a good feeling to come here every day and hear 'good mornings' or 'thank yous.' You didn't get that all the time in public schools."
THE GROUP
Floyd's peace of mind at Cretin-Derham Hall has opened up his personality. In the locker room before and after practices, his voice can be heard above the chatter. If someone mentions a funny scene from a movie, he will act out the part and recite the lines, drawing laughs.
Joking around with teammates has become one of Floyd's escapes from the recruiting pressures. He often spends the night at the home of tight end Tommy Hannon, who lives close to their school.
Hannon, Salamon and Floyd are part of a tight-knit circle at Cretin-Derham Hall known as The Group. Other members include linebacker Torres Tillman, quarterback John Nance and wide receiver Devonte Davis, Floyd's nephew. Davis, a junior, is the son of Floyd's older sister, Fachon.
The Group sits together at lunch in the cafeteria and hangs out together after school whenever possible. One of the rules in The Group is to keep football talk to a minimum.
"Michael can be a real goofy guy sometimes," said Salamon, friends with Floyd since fifth grade. "He keeps my spirits up when I've been down about things. He's made my day better a lot of times."
The Group also is therapy for Floyd. He rarely is asked about his recruiting situation, which has become a sensitive subject.
A few weeks ago, he decided not to talk publicly anymore about his college decision or which schools he is considering. Cretin-Derham Hall football coach Mike Scanlan and offensive line coach Andy Bishoff met with Floyd and his parents to discuss the best way to handle the process.
An agreement was made that Bishoff would handle all communication from college coaches and set up Floyd's five official visits, the NCAA maximum. Floyd plans to take his visits later in the fall, and he will have final say if he wants to take all five.
"We've never had to worry about Michael making bad choices or decisions," said Floyd's mother, Theresa Romero, a merchandiser for Macy's at Mall of America. "He's shown me and his dad that he can follow the right path."
THE FAMILY
Floyd grew up with four older sisters. His parents never lived together, so he often was the only male in the home. Floyd said he and his father remain close and spend a lot of time together. Both parents attend every Cretin-Derham Hall football game.
"Both parents are on the same page when it comes to what's best for Michael," Scanlan said. "Michael came to Cretin with things I like in a kid, and a lot of that came from his parents. We've never had a problem with him, not even as his stature has grown."
When Floyd was old enough, he took advantage of every opportunity to get out of the house to play football or basketball at the nearest playground. In order to keep that privilege with his mom, he had to learn about curfews and avoiding trouble - something he has perfected as much as a fade route or a diving catch.
He also has to finish the books his mom wants him to read each summer. Floyd has been busy this year, but he's doing his best to wrap up Billie Letts' "Where the Heart Is," a book endorsed by Oprah's Book Club. Floyd has to read it for a fall seminars class.
"I'll get it done before school starts," Floyd said. "I don't want to be in class looking stupid because I don't know what's going on."
Floyd's IQ for avoiding trouble was evident two years ago when he rode a friend's bicycle to a house party. While Floyd was dancing with a girl, he noticed two boys giving him "strange looks." Rather than question the boys, Floyd immediately left the party after the song ended. He was in such a hurry to leave that he left his friend's bike at the house. The bike was gone the next day.
When Floyd got a new bike, he gave it to his friend.
"My friends know that I'll try to help them whenever I can, especially when they help me," Floyd said. "My teammates know that, too. Without them, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in today. They've helped me so much to get to this point."
Golden_Domer88
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*It is an NCAA infraction to personally address recruits.*
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johnnd05
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Sorry, but that's crazy talk. We have lots of talent at WR. Floyd will PLAY as a frosh, but he won't start.
Golden_Domer88
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who says he wouldnt? Grimes will be gone and we NEED big and fast WR's.
johnnd05
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Grimes is only a junior this year.
Golden_Domer88
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Oh my bad, I thought he was a senior. But we need more WR's like floyd to come to ND. Depth is a football teams best friend.