Washington Redskins Unheralded Players: LB Marquis Flowers

Player Breakdown

Marquis Flowers has quite a bit of mileage for an Unheralded Player. A 2014 draft pick, Flowers is 27 years old, and he’s carved out a career as a special teams player first and a defensive contributor second. At 27, it’s safe to say that Flowers has reached his peak, in terms of development, but as long as there’s still potential there, it’s worth mentioning.

The potential with Flowers comes with his athleticism. At his pro day years ago, per NFL.com, Flowers, at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, logged a 4.51 40-yard dash and a 37.5-inch vertical jump, showcasing solid speed for his size and impressive explosiveness. Flowers speed and length allows him to make plays that players with pedestrian measurables can’t.

That said, putting it all together is something Flowers has never been able to do. NFL.com states that his work ethic, coming out of college, was inconsistent, as was his on-field focus, and he also lacked the physicality expected from a player with a frame upwards of 230 pounds.

For the Redskins, Flowers would project predictably as a special teams player, but he has the athletic traits necessary to potentially contribute at inside linebacker. It all depends on his mental game, and how he’s developed in that department. If the Patriots weren’t willing to keep him around, despite their lingering need for linebacker depth, then Flowers has obvious ground to gain back. He’s a player who’s always had high potential. But he’s a reminder of the challenges in reaching those heights.