Zay Flowers doesn’t have the measurables all NFL scouts covet, but he could be the perfect addition to round out the Cowboys’ wide receiver corps.
NFL scouts who obsess over finding 6-foot-5 wideouts who run 4.3-second 40-yard dashes aren’t going to be enamored with Zay Flowers. Fortunately for the Cowboys, their front office has a more nuanced view of what it takes to succeed at the wide receiver position.
Dallas allocated one of its top 30 visits to the former Boston College standout on Monday. That might surprise some Cowboys fans given the team’s recent acquisition of Brandin Cooks to soak up snaps in the spot. The reality is that Flowers has the talent to outproduce Cooks on the inside or carve out a meaningful role on the outside in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
Flowers only checked in at 5-foot-9 at the Combine which will stop him from being a top-10 pick in April’s draft. The upside for the Cowboys is that his lack of stature gives them a chance to reasonably believe he’ll still be on the board when they go on the clock with the No. 26 overall pick.
Could Cowboys select Zay Flowers in NFL Draft?
Defensive coaches who were forced to contend with Flowers during his collegiate career understand how difficult he is to stop. He wasn’t blessed with outstanding quarterback play or terrific wide receivers lining up alongside him at Boston College. Nonetheless, Flowers still managed to make big plays for the Eagles against every opponent they encountered.
The idea of adding him to CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup in the Dallas system is intriguing. The presence of those guys would likely give him a lot of one-on-one opportunities as a rookie. His elite ability to change directions and run precise routes makes him a handful for any cornerback given that kind of opportunity.
There’s no question that Flowers would give the Cowboys a potentially electric playmaker at No. 26. The only real hesitation with selecting him there is that wide receiver isn’t Dallas’ most pressing need. Dak Prescott does need high-quality weapons to produce at a high level, but it’s easy to see the team’s front office believing they already have sufficient talent at wide receiver to be successful in 2023.
The bottom line on Flowers is that his measurables will push him toward the bottom of Round 1 but that makes him a potential steal for teams interested in upgrading their pass attack. It’s very possible the Cowboys will decide they’re the team willing to stop his slide on Draft Day.
