NFL Draft Experts Remain High On Boston College’s Zay Flowers
Flowers has gained steam as the second wide receiver taken in the draft
Zay Flowers was viewed as a top-50 pick before the 2022 college football season, but the Boston College product has gone a long way to boost his 2023 NFL Draft stock.
The 5-foot-9 wide receiver impressed in the East-West Shrine Bowl and at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's among four receivers that are expected to be selected in the first round.
Flowers has been linked to multiple teams, including the New England Patriots, and draft experts like ESPN's Mel Kiper and NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah were high on the pass-catcher in their latest mock drafts. Kiper on Tuesday had Flowers going to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 17, and Jeremiah on March 21 had the Los Angeles Chargers selecting the BC standout.
Kiper and Jeremiah aren't always right, but they are the most informed and plugged-in draft gurus -- the latter reportedly was in consideration for a front office position like his former colleague Mike Mayock. It's why fans and the market are quick to analyze and adjust to how they view players and team interest.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who also has been linked to the Patriots, is the favorite to be the first wide receiver taken across major sportsbooks. But the Ohio State product only had one productive season with the Buckeyes and primarily played in the slot.
Flowers, despite his small stature, had production in BC on the outside, which is why draft analysts are high on him. It's possible teams talk themselves out of Smith-Njigba and select Flowers.
The BC product's odds to be the first wide receiver taken in the draft are at +350 on FanDuel. It's not as intriguing of a price as it was earlier in the draft process, but it is second behind Smith-Njigba, which shows how much action there has been on the 22-year-old, who was the second receiver taken in Kiper's latest mock draft.
A bonus wager would be Jordan Addison as the first wide receiver drafted at +750 on DraftKings. Jeremiah on April 5 ranked the USC product as his top receiver in his top 50 prospects list.
Sticking with Flowers, DraftKings set the line on his draft position at 24.5. The Over at +200 would be a logical wager based on his growing stock.
Similar to how quarterbacks can rise in draft boards, offensive skill position players can operate in a similar way. There could be a team that convinces themselves Flowers is the top receiver in the class and takes him in the top 20.
There's going to be a lot of movement as the 2023 NFL Draft gets closer, so it's smart to pay attention to line shifts, especially when the top experts release new mock drafts or big boards.
