New York Giants: Why Ereck Flowers is Going to Shine in 2017
In 2016, Ereck Flowers was a gaping hole at left tackle. In 2017, he can be rock solid and prove his first-round worth in the NFL.
When New York Giants starting left tackle Ereck Flowers was taken in the 2016 NFL Draft, he was just 20-years old.
At that young age, Flowers secured the starting job, showed potential throughout an injury plagued season and proved sturdy against some of the most feared edge rushers in the league.
New York Giants
But one year later, we saw Flowers become a problem on the offensive line, showing signs of regression and weakness.
The big question is, why?
Well, at 21-years old and a full season of NFL experience under his belt, there isn’t a great explanation for his lack of development. What we can see, is that his mechanics were flawed and his strength was clearly not 100 percent in 2016.
Remember the “sophomore slump” phrase? I think Flowers just caught a nasty case of it.
According to the New York Post on May 13, 2017, offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is content with Flowers’ offseason training.
"“I think if you see Ereck, his body is a lot leaner, It’s very early and we didn’t get a chance to practice against the defense yet, but you do see some increased quickness,” Sullivan said."
The bad stuff
His speed has been a huge problem on the left side, as defensive ends have often used their quickness to beat the heavy footed Flowers.
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In 2016, Flowers ranked 57th out of 78 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. His overall grade of 48.4 proved to be far less than average, even for a struggling New York Giants offense.
Flowers’ strengths were always run blocking related, and has struggled mightily in pass protection against pass rushers. It could be a result of his large frame and lack of mobility.
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With Flowers attempting to cut a few pounds before the start of training camp, it could prove to be the solution to an underwhelming 2016 campaign.
Lean and mean is what strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman should be focusing on for Flowers. If he can add speed to his play-style he shouldn’t have a problem pushing edge rushers to the outside.
Overall, the man is only 22-years old, and in some places, he’s been written off already. I think he deserves one last shot at redemption, and hopefully he returns with a vengeance.