We were thrilled to hear that Leonard Floyd would be among those returning to UGA next season. Floyd’s been considered a top draft prospect since well before the season, and getting him back for another year should be considered a pleasant surprise and a big shot in the arm for the defense.

Now we’ve learned something that might shed a little light on Floyd’s motivation to sit out this draft:

OLB Leonard Floyd won't play in the Belk Bowl. He underwent shoulder surgery yesterday, Richt said.

— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) December 17, 2014

Floyd’s shoulder was a minor story in November, and many figured that his limited playing time against Kentucky had more to do with a poor performance against Florida. The injury has been a legitimate issue for a while now, and it’s significant enough to require surgery. No way would he be ready for the combine and NFL camps with that kind of an injury lingering, so it’s a wise choice to get the surgery now, recover, and add to the highlight reel in 2015.

Floyd’s absence will clear the way for Lorenzo Carter to start against Louisville. The true freshman stepped up in a big way at Kentucky when Floyd was out, and he’ll be going against an offense that’s given up 37 sacks in 2014.