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Leonard Floyd didn’t begin playing organized football until high school, when he was an eager freshman in the small town of Eastman, Ga. Floyd had always been fast, long and athletic. And well, in his prep days, those traits allowed him to flourish some on offense, at receiver and tight end.

So how did Floyd eventually find his permanent niche on defense, where he became a three-year starter at Georgia as a versatile linebacker whose greatest strength was as a speed rusher?

“Shoot,” Floyd said, “guys who sack the quarterbacks get paid the most. I stuck with that.”

That was Floyd’s enthusiastic declaration Friday at Halas Hall, during his introductory news conference on his first full day as a Bear. The Bears traded up to select Floyd with the ninth pick of the NFL draft Thursday.

And to be clear, that wasn’t only a vote of confidence in the 23-year-old’s skills — his burst, length and hustle — it was a move general Ryan Pace made with a belief that the Bears can surround Floyd with the support system to push him to his full potential.

That means Floyd will unite with coach John Fox and coordinator Vic Fangio, a pair of accomplished defensive-minded leaders with nearly 50 years combined of NFL coaching experience. It means Floyd will spend his rookie season being tutored and challenged by outside linebackers coach Clint Hurtt.

Perhaps most importantly, the Bears hope Floyd will quickly develop a productive working relationship with strength coach Jason George as well as sports science coordinator Jenn Gibson.

The mission at Halas Hall will be to personalize a plan that will add bulk and power to Floyd’s rangy 240-pound frame without reducing his burst. And a big part of that mission’s success will hinge on Floyd’s personal investment.

By nature, Floyd noted, he struggles to put and keep weight on.

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“It’s pretty hard,” he said. “But I can get the job done with the staff we have here with the Bears. They believe in me and I believe in them.

Friday’s ceremonious entrance to Halas Hall came 15 days after Floyd made a pre-draft visit. For Pace and the Bears, that meeting was another way to assess Floyd’s body type and to begin envisioning his future.

For Floyd, the vibe of that visit resonated. He was enamored with the Bears’ defensive history and intrigued by the idea of playing for Fox, Fangio and Hurtt.

In the latter stages of the pre-draft grind, Floyd said he felt at home.

“I loved it,” he said. “I didn’t want to go back, actually. The visit was so great.”

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Twitter @danwiederer