Pennsylvania Standout Mekhi Flowers Commits to Penn State

Mekhi Flowers, among the top players in Pennsylvania's 2022 recruiting class, could play offense and defense for Penn State.

Penn State's coaching staff sent Steelton-Highspire star Mekhi Flowers a recruiting video in November in which they argued about whether Flowers would play offense or defense. Apparently, the pitch worked.

Flowers, a prized Pennsylvania prospect in the Class of 2022, announced Friday that he will play for Penn State. The receiver/safety, ranked as the state's No. 4 player according to 247Sports, made it official on social media.

Flowers, an all-state player, helped Steel-High to a 12-0 season and the PIAA Class A championship. The 6-1 Flowers is a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, and a player Penn State clearly sought for its 2022 class.

As part of its recruiting push, Penn State staff compiled a video in which coach James Franklin and staff members wore No. 9 jerseys, watched Flowers' highlights and argued about his best position. Offensive and defensive coaches even lifted weights, played ping-pong and rode stationary bikes to compete for Flowers.

Thank you to @PennStateFball and the coaching staff for the Birthday video ! 🦁⚪️🔵... It’s no other love like home state love 😏 @coachjfranklin @CoachStubbs @CoachPry_LBU @calebtyler_psu @da_real_Smitty @CoachTerryPSU @Sidelines_PSU @ElitePSU pic.twitter.com/wJYEEpJPgg

— HIM (@MehkiFlowers) November 4, 2020

Flowers is an intriguing prospect whose top-10 list included Arizona State, Nebraska, West Virginia and Howard. He wants to play offense and defense, a discussion that came up with most offering staffs.

Edwin Weathersby II, a former NFL scout and analyst for SI All-American, broke down Flowers' highlight reel. Here's his scouting report.

Flowers is an athletic prospect who works as a WR, RB and S/Rover. As a receiver, he lines up as 1 to the field in 2x1 sets and in the boundary, and with some work from reduced/snug alignments. I've also seen him aligned as 2/slot in 3x1 sets. He has a limited route tree that features a heavy emphasis on quick-game concepts. He's at his best in the RAC-phase, as he has very good traits that consist of balance and patience with the ball, and he flashes some surprising power at collision points.

Flowers favors a stiff-arm when he's attacked laterally/horizontally. He did execute a few fades/verts on tape, where he showed adjust ability, eye tracking and leap timing to attack elevated and various catch points with his mitts to produce in traffic. There were also a few carries on tape from shotgun RB alignments to execute power/counter concepts to get him to the box edges.

As a safety, he lined up in the boundary and as the MOF-defender on the back end. Flowers also sugared an interior gap and blitzed, along with flashing some experience playing on the edge in level 1. His best attribute defensively, like on offense, is his ball skills. He needs technique refinement (route running as a WR, pure cover skills, match ability and route distribution processing in zone concepts)  on both sides of the ball within the nuances of each position. And his mental processing, while currently very natural, can expand and grow exponentially.

Right now, Flowers wins with natural playmaking and ball skills. I can see him developing as a WR or S at the next level.

Flowers is the eighth player, and fifth from Pennsylvania, to commit to Penn State's 2022 class. Check out Flowers' highlights from his junior season at Steelton-Highspire.

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