This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Aggies surely wish they could have Nevin Lawson another year, but the senior is preparing for a shot at the NFL at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., this week.But with a new cornerback commit, Utah State hopes it has the next Lawson.The Aggies secured a commitment from Fullerton College sophomore Tyler Floyd on Tuesday, as the 5-foot-10 defensive back chose to come to Logan over offers from Utah, Houston, UAB and Georgia State. Shorter than protypical but possessing reported 4.4 speed, Floyd said he's ready to hit the ground running and join a recent string of corners to find success at Utah State."I like their defensive schemes, the way the put their DBs in position to make plays," Floyd said. "Nevin is a person I compare myself to. We're about the same height. The plays he made are plays I want to make. I like the way he was there to get a shot at the next level, and he got it."Floyd is excited just to have the chance to play cornerback at Utah State, but the Aggies have some very specific aspirations for him as well.The coaching staff told the junior college prospect they want him to come to Logan and compete for playing time. In the fall, they want him to cover Shane Williams-Rhodes from Boise State, who ripped the Aggies for 13 catches and 150 yards this past season."They mentioned my quickness and speed, and said they want me to defend that guy from Boise who gave them a hard time last year," he said. "They think I can hang with him."Floyd hails from Orlando, Fla., where he was a standout in high school, but an ACL tear during his junior year slowed some of the college interest that came his way, he said. He ended up going the junior college route, where he was all-conference defender this past season for Fullerton, which won 12 games.He said his junior college days made him more "humble" and appreciate the finer details of continuing his college career. So when he came on an official visit to Utah State last weekend, he was blown away by the facilities, equipment and other perks of being an athlete in Logan, he said.Floyd specifically referred to the recently built weight room and Utah State's relationship with Nike as details that piqued his interest."I didn't know that they had top-notch stuff like uniforms and gear and things like that," he said. "It made them stand out a lot."Floyd said he's already looking forward to going to Tennessee for Utah State's season opener and standing across the sideline from a longtime friend and rival from Florida.You can check out Floyd's Hudl highlights here.Kyle Goonkgoon@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon