Rookie Profile: Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers - WR - Boston College

Listed Measurables:

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 182 lbs

Arms: 29 1/4"

Hands: 9 1/4"

Draft Age: 22.5 Y/O

Early Declare: No

Breakout Age: 20.0

2023 NFL Combine Grades:

40-Yard Dash: 4.42s

10-Yard Split: 1.53s

Vertical Jump: 35.5"

Broad Jump: 10'7"

3 Cone Drill: N/A

20 Yd Shuttle: N/A

Bench Press: N/A

Career Notes:

Zay Flowers grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, attending University High School where he would earn a 3-star recruitment ranking from 24/7 Sports. The blooming wideout received minimal national attention and scholarship offers, ultimately committing to Boston College where he would spend his entire four-year tenure.

Accolades:

• 3 Star Recruit (24/7 Sports).

• 2× First Team All-ACC (2020, 2022).

• Third Team All-ACC (2021).

• Set Single Season REC TD (12) record at BC.

• Tied the record for REC in a season (78) and produced the third most REC YDS (1077) in a season in Boston College history.

• Biletnikoff Award Semi-finalist.

• All-Time Leader in REC (200), REC YDS (3056), and REC TD (29) at BC.

Past Production/Collegiate Career:

Flowers played in 13 games as a true freshman, making an immediate impact with 22 receptions for 341 (15.5 YPR) yards and three touchdowns. In the following year, the Boston College prospect would become just the second wideout in program history to be honored with first-team All-ACC honors (Alex Amidon - 2012) after he completed his sophomore season with 56 receptions for 892 (15.9 YPR) and nine touchdowns. As a Junior, Flowers recorded 44 receptions for 746 yards (17.0 YPR) and five touchdowns across 11 games. The promising young receiver elected to return for his senior season rather than declaring early for the 2022 NFL Draft. Flowers seemingly made a wise business decision as he posted career highs across the board in 2022, snagging 78 receptions for 1077 yards (13.8 YPR) and 12 touchdowns. The shifty wideout also added a promising 57 career rush attempts for 345 yards (6.1 YPC) and two touchdowns to his collegiate resume. After four seasons of college, Flowers entered the 2023 NFL Draft with 200 career receptions for 3056 yards (15.3) and 29 receiving touchdowns, leading Boston College in all three categories as the school’s all-time best receiver. 

Stats to Know:

• Generated QB ratings of 114.0 (2019-FR), 103.5 (2020-SO), 84.7 (2021-JR), and 106.1 (2022-SR) in four seasons at Boston College.

• Accounted for 57.1% of his team's REC TDs and 44.4% of total OFF TDs in 2022.

2019 Stats:

13 GP

22 REC

13.7% REC Share

42 TGT

12.9% TGT Share

341 REC YDS (3 TD)

14.9% REC YDS Share

15.5 YPR

1.12 REC YDS/TPA

0.25 REC YDS/TA

15.0% REC TD Share

27 RSH

195 RSH YDS (1 TD)

7.2 YPC

8.5% OFF TD Share

2020 Stats:

11 GP

56 REC

24.8% REC Share

106 TGT

27.2% TGT Share

892 REC YDS (9 TD)

28.5% REC YDS Share

15.9 YPR

2.29 REC YDS/TPA

1.19 REC YDS/TA

39.1% REC TD Share

11 RSH

41 YDS (1 TD)

3.7 YPC

29.4% OFF TD Share

2021 Stats:

12 GP

44 REC

26.0% REC Share

83 TGT

27.3% TGT Share

746 REC YDS (5 TD)

33.6% REC YDS Share 

17.0 YPR

2.45 REC YDS/TPA

0.96 REC YDS/TA

38.5% REC TD Share

7 RSH

69 YDS (0 TD)

9.9 YPC

14.7% OFF TD Share

2022 Stats:

12 GP

78 REC

29.8% REC Share

130 TGT

29.6% TGT Share

1077 REC YDS (12 TD)

36.3% REC YDS Share 

13.8 YPR

2.45 REC YDS/TPA

1.35 REC YDS/TA

57.1% REC TD Share

12 RSH

40 YDS (0 TD)

3.3 YPC

44.4% OFF TD Share

Collegiate Career Totals:

48 Games

200 REC

361 TGT

3056 REC YDS

31 Total TD

13.3 YD aDOT

1477 Snaps

1415 Routes

2.2 YPRR

35.5% Slot Rate

64.1% Wide Rate 

Collegiate Career Bests:

29.6% TGT Share

25.6% TGT/Route

99.9% Route Share

2.45 REC YDS/TPA

1.35 REC YDS/TA

2.27 YPRR

Scouting Report:

NFL Draft Grade: 6.45 (Will Become Good Starter Within Two Years)

Next-Gen Draft Grade: 82 (Good)

Scouting Strengths:

• Quicker than fast but plenty fast (4.42s 40-YD Dash).

• Runs crispy routes like fresh-cut french fries.

• Make Em Miss, Make Em Pay. Slippery open-field runner.

• Effortless control of speed and deceleration. Go fast, stop, go faster.

• Plays outside and in the slot with success at both positions.

Scouting Weaknesses:

• 4-Year senior in a weaker ACC conference with a late collegiate breakout.

• Considered undersized despite his success as an outside receiver.

• Small catch radius. T-Rex arms.

• Gets bullied in zone coverage and off press coverage too frequently for my liking.

• Athletically good, not great.

• Contest him and win. Does not like it when defenders get up in his space.

Expected Draft Capital:

• Projected Round: 1st/2nd

• EDP: 30.5

• Consensus Position Rank: WR5

Perfect Fit/Landing Spot:

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Dallas Cowboys

Consensus Landing Spot:

Indianapolis Colts

Top NFL Player Comparisons:

Jahan Dotson

Khalil Shakir

DeVonta Smith

Darnell Mooney

Diontae Johnson

Hunter Renfrow

James Washington

Jamison Crowder

*All Comparisons subject to change with NFL Draft capital and landing spot

Future NFL/Fantasy Outlook:

Flowers has found success both inside as a slot receiver and outside as a true X/Y field-stretcher. He profiles best as a slot on low depth of target opportunities where he can feast in the open field. Plays with a motor that red lines through the whistle on every snap. Flowers' ability to gain chunk yardage after the catch may be his best asset, allowing for a seamless fit in a wide variety of offensive schemes. Flowers is confident and capable with a litany of fakes and feints to beat defenders off the press while owning an impressively complex route tree as well.

Flowers' 2023 NFL Draft stock is undeniably on the rise after boasting impressive NFL Combine and Pro-Day numbers. His size and slight frame will likely keep him out of the first round but attaching 2nd round draft capital to a profile like Flowers does little to hinder his positive range of outcomes.

Flowers has solid WR2 upside written all over his analytical profile and should meet his ceiling quicker than most draftmates due to his experience and refined skill set.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at BRoto Fantasy Football.

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