Brandon Flowers runs back an interception during last year's game against Miami. The junior is expected to declare for the NFL Draft.
Second-team All-ACC cornerback Brandon Flowers, a redshirt junior, is expected to head to the professional ranks next year, forgoing his final season of eligibility and entering the NFL Draft this spring, said defensive backfield coach Torrian Gray.
"What would I expect Brandon to be doing next year? I think it's his intentions that he's had a good enough year that we hope to be seeing him play on Sundays," Gray said. "I think he's ready physically and mentally."
Gray said that after having a breakout season as a redshirt sophomore, Flowers entered the 2007 season knowing that he might go pro if he had a solid junior campaign.
"He felt that if he was able to do something this year too that he could anticipate (declaring for the NFL draft,)" Gray said.
Gray, who played for the Minnesota Vikings for four years and also helped coach the Chicago Bears secondary for two seasons, has plenty of experience assessing professional talent. Several draft prognosticators also consider Flowers one of the top cornerback prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft in the spring.
However, Flowers is quiet about the move to the NFL.
"I can't answer that question right now," Flowers said, preferring to keep his focus on the postseason appearances ahead of him. But the Delray, Fla. native is confident in his abilities, and is sure that he possesses the talent it takes to be a standout pass defender in the NFL.
"I definitely consider myself an NFL-caliber cornerback," Flowers said. "I think I'm the full package. I can come up from under, I'm good off my breaks, I can play the ball very well in the air. Yeah, I definitely think I'm an NFL prospect."
His stats back him up.
Flowers has intercepted five passes this season, totaling 93 interception return yards and a touchdown and adding seven passes defended. He's ranked third on the defense in stops, recording 72 total tackles, seven of those for a loss of 22 yards.
Last season Flowers finished with three interceptions and led the ACC with 18 passes broken up and 21 passes defended on his way to being named a third-team All-American.
"Brandon has had two great years here, and I feel fortunate to coach a guy of his caliber," Gray said. "He has a physical game, it's great and he can also cover. I think he's the complete package."
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Nooooooo Brandon! Please don't leave... the defense needs you!
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Please no. We need you
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NOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT GOOOOOOOOOOO. 1 more year, you and macho can be the top 2 dbs in the 09 draft. make even bigger bucks. please stay.
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Atta boy, Brandon... We'll cheer for you on Sundays
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B Flowers- I know I am saying this for selfish reasons but the team, the school and that backfield needs you for one more year...
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BF - Focus on the BC game for now. And eventually the Orange Bowl. The NFL will be there later..
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He said earlier this week that he intends to stay unless he's positive that he'll go 1st round. http://www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/141271
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He did his time, now it's time for the big money. Why waste his talent playing for free? VT will always have other guys to plug in.
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I agree, move on while your still young and able to play
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I'm all for B making the big bucks- and he will- but he has been shafted by the rivals all america team and he has been shafted in general by his projections... Talib or any other corner could not have made that "under the reciever, quickly tuck the ball interception" that B made... he isn't getting the respect he deserves and if staying another year (by the way, you don't just "stick someone else in" to replace an all american)gets him more respect which I think it will; we could use B and his hype would be what it SHOULD be this year (because we will certainly have the two best cover corners in America- as a tandem at least)! Stay B and you will get more respect- you deserve more respect... At the same time, if it were me, I'd take the money if it were certainly there- no disrespect there
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No one's even mentioned getting an education in their comments. I guess no one plays college football for an education anymore - it's all about making the NFL. How sad.
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KR, why would people mention getting an education? We're not concerned about whether Brandon finishes his degree, and your comment makes you sound ignorant. MOST college football players (and student athletes in general) are in school to get an education. Only a small fraction of athletes even go pro, and many who do aren't wildly successful and need that degree later in life. A few years in the NFL don't set you for life unless you're a big time player, which is very rare. But every few years we have some special players who have the opportunity to go pro early. It's a much better investment for them to do so, because an untimely injury in school the next year could ruin a chance very few have. I'll be sad if he goes, but I can't blame him if he does.
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I thought I read somewhere that he was going to submit his name to the draft experts to see where he would land in the draft, and if he was a definite first rounder, he would go. I don't remember where I read this.
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