Zay Flowers didn’t repeat any of the testing he did at the NFL Combine earlier this month. He knew he didn’t need to.
All he had to do was handle business on the field, and he continues to do that at every turn.
The Boston College receiver shone again at the Eagles’ Pro Day, where he was the main attraction once again. His speed and sharp route-running simply look different next to everyone else, even as it did at the Combine with some of the league’s best prospects competing alongside him. He also caught a few punts for good measure, showing teams he can get on the field in a few ways.
His secret: a simple approach even when he’s going against air.
“Attack. Compete. Win,” he told WEEI.
“Every time I’m running routes on air, I’m envisioning somebody in front of me and trying to detail every part of the route to get their hips to flip and go win that ball.”
Flowers has a radiant energy about him in his interactions with teammates like workout buddies Kobay White, who had a strong Pro Day himself, and redshirt sophomore quarterback Emmett Morehead, who threw Flowers all his passes during team drills. He even showed off a little lyrical prowess after his workouts were over and said he might consider dropping an album or mixtape in the summer while he finishes school — after getting drafted, of course.
But beneath his infectious smile is a killer competitor who said he almost did the 3-cone drills just to see if he could beat Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 6.57-second time from the NFL Combine.
It’s not surprise, therefore, that Flowers keeps stepping up every time all eyes are on him.
“I’m really not here for the attention or the camera. I’m really here just for something I love: to just play ball, to do what I do every day and go to work for something I love” he said. “Really ain’t no pressure to me. I’ve been an underdog a long time. I like it that way.”
The work isn’t stopping for Flowers from now until the draft, either: “Wake up, do football. Go to sleep, wake up, do football again,” he said when asked to describe his schedule between now and Day 1 of the draft on April 27.
When that day comes, the Patriots could have their eye on him after putting the receiver through his paces at the Shrine Bowl. Though Flowers said the team hadn’t contacted him too much recently, one source at the Pro Day said New England is indeed a team to quietly watch as a suitor for the electric playmaker.
He also met with the AFC East rival Jets, who own the 13th pick, and the Bills, who pick at No. 27, on Friday.
Expect Flowers to come off the board at some point in the first round at this point. Perhaps he might even stay in Boston, a place where he says he’s built a fanbase and family.
Goodness knows he’d be a great fit for the culture.