NCAA Scouting - Player Profile:
Brandon Flowers, CB
by Ben Stockwell
8/3/2008
 
Flowers has the blend of game speed and coverage smarts that is transferable to the NFL regardless of how scouts and draftniks may doubt or downgrade him due to his lack of size. He was a much decorated member of a Virginia Tech defence that is frequently amongst the elite defensive squads in all of College Football. He formed a formidable cornerback pairing with Victor “Macho” Harris and was a two time All-American before his departure to the NFL after his junior season at Blacksburg. He has been a decorated football player at every stage of his career, at high school he was an all-state and all-area performer and at Hargrave Military Academy in 2003 (Prep School) he was a stand-out performer to improve his stock as a college prospect. Signs suggest that he has all the skills to continue this development to the pros.
 
What we like about Flowers
 
Well they look nice, they smell nice............Sorry, should be serious here shouldn't I? In terms of the plus sides for Brandon Flowers, he is a strong, fast, instinctive corner who plays faster than his timed speed. He has a strong, compact build that allows him to explode out of cuts and stay with shifty receivers better than his timed speed would suggest. Coming from a Bud Foster defence he is a physical presence with the ability to bump and re-direct receivers at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the timing of a play. He also brings this strength to his defence of the run and can deliver punishing hits to separate receivers from the ball. Very perceptive in space reads routes well to make plays which he combines with good ball skills to put up good interception numbers.
 
Question marks over Flowers
 
Flowers lacks the prototypical size and speed for an NFL corner. These are limitations that could prevent him from being a truly elite corner; the speed particularly will lead people to question whether he can run in man coverage with the top receivers. This could limit him to being nothing but a cover-2 corner. This is not to take away from his potential to be an excellent corner, but it does limit the teams who might be interested in him in the draft, putting a limit on his draft stock.
 
Highlights of his College Career
 
A two time All-American playing on one of the top defences in college football, individual highlights would be tough to find to trump a career full of them.
 
Other Snippets of Info

• Listed prior to the NFL Combine by Mike Mayock as a potential top ten draft selection.

• He potentially compares favourably to a guy like Ronde Barber if he finds his home in a cover-2 defence.

• Good fits would include the Buccaneers and the Lions.