The Dallas Cowboys will probably look at wide receivers in the draft, and depending on what they decide internally, they could be in the market for a slot receiver. While some will see Zay Flowers as an inside and outside threat, his size could force him to be primarily a slot at the next level.
While his tape pops with after-the-catch ability, work in space, and an ability to work across the middle, up the seam, and a surprising contested catch ability.
The question will be whether the Cowboys believe they need someone with size for the outside or desire the speed, and are not stuck on where it comes from. Part of that question comes from where they feel Michael Gallup is in his recovery.
There is no doubt the offense needs more speed, but height and size are a bit of a question as well. Moving to a West Coast offense might help answer that question, but then the next part is you need sure hands, and that is where Flowers needs to show more.
The Dallas Cowboys need speed at wide receiver, and Zay Flowers is an option, but his size and hands could be an issue when the draft comes.
Flowers jumps off the screen with the ball in his hands. He has the ability to make defenders miss and pick up yards quickly. With a projected 4.37 40 time, he covers ground quickly and would add speed to a Cowboys’ offense that lacks game-breaking speed. He runs sharp routes but he was given a lot of off-coverage so if he can show a good release package leading up to the draft he could climb up boards. He does fit the modern in-motion style wide receiver that is popular around the league.
The issue Flowers may run into is fit at the next level due to his size. At 5’10”, 172 pounds, his catch radius is not great and his ability to break tackles relies on agility and not so much breaking with power. This is also a concern about his ability to beat press coverage at the next level and may need to be in a system that creates space and manufactures touches for him. With a fairly high drop rate, there are concerns about concentration drops, but there is no doubt about his ability with the ball in his hands.
Depending on how teams see Flowers he could be anywhere from the second to the third round. Most see him as a second-rounder due to his ability with the ball in his hands, but if he is seen as strictly a slot receiver it could cause him to fall a little. Flowers will need to show his hands are solid and he will go in the second even if teams see him as a slot. He has the speed, but does he have the fit? That is for Will McClay and Mike McCarthy to figure out.