10 Tackles in 21 Days: #1 Ereck Flowers
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C3 is taking a look at 10 Offensive Tackles that the Panthers could end up with on Draft Day. This series has brought you 10 possible Tackles all over the past 21 days. We gave you some little known information and some tape to check out. Hopefully you gained some insight into the prospects and can find a few that you fall in love with and root for.
Before Draft Day we will also look at WRs, DBs, DTs, TEs and LBs but we start with OTs. Why? Two reasons: First, our LT ranked second to last in the League according to our friends at www.ProFootballFocus.com.
In an informal poll on Twitter, Panther Nation has said they want us to look at WRs next. So starting next weekend, I'll start a series on WRs I see the Panthers targeting in the Draft. Should be fun.
Yesterday we took a look at a guy that I’m very high on in Cameron Erving out of Florida State. He is athletic and versatile and would be a tough choice for me between him and my top choice below. There are other worthy Tackles in this Draft like Cedric Ogbuehi, Andrus Peat and Brandon Scherff. But the 10 that I’ve laid out for you over the last 21 days are the ones I encourage you to keep your Panther eyes on.
#1 Ereck Flowers Miami 6’6 321
Previous Tackles in this series have either been big/strong Hog-Mollies up over the 330 lb range and project to be road grading Right Tackles such as Donovan Smith or lean athletic guys a little on the lighter side like Jake Fisher. All nine are good prospects for the Panthers, but one guy has it all and that is Ereck Flowers. He is both big and powerful, but is at that in between weight where he is very athletic too. He gets out on the edges and even the second level and is able to control his body and make great plays in the run game. The Miami Hurricanes’ star Running back, Duke Robinson, often ran to Flowers’ side of the line. Take a look here and see what I mean.
He has very long arms to go with good balance which makes him a great prospect to protect Cam’s blind side. And how he engages in the run game makes him a perfect fit for Panthers’ run-first Offense. To me, Ereck Flowers would be the PURRfect pick at 25.
The problem is some Analysts have him going as high as in the Top 5 (Walter Football) and others have him as low as the Third Round (Draft Breakdown). So I’m not sure he’ll be there at 25, but if he is, he should be our guy.
He played one year at RT and two years at LT. He earned Second Team All-ACC (behind yesterday’s prospect: Cameron Erving). The reason I give Flowers the nod over Erving is the extra 10 lbs. and the fact that Flowers is just as athletic and played with a torn maniscus in his knee this past year. That combination of size, athleticism, toughness and scheme fit make him my guy.
Give me your thoughts and follow me on Twitter @PanthersDrafter
Mel