Giants Country

New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Zay Flowers

Could Zay Flowers be the answer the Giants are supposedly seeking at receiver?

Patricia Traina

In this story:

Zay Flowers, WR

Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 182 lbs.
Class: Senior
School: Boston College
Arm length: 29 ¼”
Wingspan: 72 ¾”
Hand size: 9 ⅛”
Age: 22 (9-11-2000)

A former three-star recruit out of University School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was the 139th WR and the 165th-ranked Floridian recruit during the 2019 cycle. When Boston College sent players home because of COVID-19 in 2020, Flowers worked out with Antonio Brown and Geno Smith; ironically enough, Flowers’ game resembles Brown’s to a certain extent.

Notables

A two-time First Team All-ACC selection (2020 & 2022), and he was a third-team selection in 2021. Flowers finished his productive career at Boston College with 200 catches on 345 targets for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns. Eclipsed 1,000 yards by 77 in 2022 for the first time in his career; he added 78 catches and 12 touchdowns.

Flowers excels as a route runner who creates separation in various ways. Boston College also used him in the backfield to create mismatches; he finished his career with 57 carries for 345 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned punts in 2022. Flowers was a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and he earned the Bulger Lowe Award and the Season Golden Helmet Award in 2022. Flowers decided to attend the 2023 East-West Shrine Game in Las Vegas; he practiced on the first day but missed subsequent practices due to pacing himself despite being “fully healthy.” Flowers was arguably the highest-profile player at the event.

Strengths

  • Excellent sudden deep threat with good speed, acceleration, and excellent burst
  • Can win at all three levels of the field
  • Very flexible, excellent body control on the move
  • Very quick feet and glides well - a smooth mover
  • Evades defenders well in confined spaces - good short-area quickness
  • Didn’t face a ton of press coverage but showed an ability to win with release
    • Had a filthy release against UCONN that lead to a 25 yard catch up the SL
  • Can quickly stack against press defenders
  • Does well to sell vertical routes on curls/comebacks
  • Quick to redirect/transition angles to open CBs up - explosive out of breaks
  • Excellent overall route runner who uses nuance
  • Smart route runner who adjusts to the defense well
  • Creates separation as a route runner and with athletic ability
  • Can run all the routes in the route tree
  • Sinks hips well to sell double moves - speed to threaten
  • Excellent ball-tracking ability - Solid concentration ability
  • Does well in adjusting to back-shoulder throws and will extend away from frame
  • Would win a lot of two-hand touch contests - difficult to track down
  • Can align anywhere
  • A willing blocker

Weaknesses

  • Undersized with small hands
  • Had 24 career drops - frustrating drops on tape
  • Only 182 pounds - may struggle to run through arm-tackles consistently
  • Play strength will be marginal at the next level
  • Limited sub-30” catch radius
  • Had a highlight reel contested catch vs. Louisville for 57 yd touchdown
    • But, he failed in easier 50-50 situations throughout the season
    • Contested catches will be difficult in the NFL
  • Struggled to haul in off-target screen passes that were catchable
    • Although, he wildly caught one against Wake Forest with one hand that went for a loss of four yards (Q4, 15:00, 3rd & 3)
  • Willing blocker but one who is easily discarded
  • Visibly frustrated on the field - threw his hands in the air several times

Summary

Zay Flowers is a quick--sudden--WR who can be used anywhere by a creative offense. He runs excellent routes and understands how to uncover versus man and zone coverage while possessing the ability to win at all three levels of the field. Does a good job of tracking and adjusting his body to the football while it’s in the air. He’s a very dangerous weapon when he has the football in his hands in space.

I wish his hands and ability to haul in contested catches were a more consistent factor in his game. Flowers didn’t see a ton of press alignments, but he had some success against Virginia Tech and Syracuse when they aligned in that manner; questions about his release package at the next level are fair. His size/measurement limitations are unfortunate, but Flowers is a good football player who can start early for whoever selects him in the 2023 NFL Draft.

GRADE: 6.35 

Draft grade scale
Nick Falato
Published
Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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