Zay Flowers played four years at Boston College, during which they never had a winning record. Flowers, who is expected to be a first-round draft pick on Thursday night, was the best wide receiver in the ACC and easily could have transferred to one of the elite programs in college football, but he chose not to. And Boston College’s coach says that has helped his draft stock.
Boston College coach Jeff Hafley told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that he has spoken to NFL coaches who have told him they’re impressed that Flowers wanted to finish what he started at Boston College, at a time when the NCAA has made it easier than ever for players to transfer.
“He represents loyalty and commitment in a day and age in college football when those are rare,” Hafley said, via Football Morning in America. “I know for a fact there were some big schools that I know very well who they were and how much they were offering him. He came to me and told me he didn’t want to leave, which is hard for a kid to turn down. And now in return he’s going to make more money because of it, because every head coach that I talk to wants a loyal guy, wants a guy they know they can count on.”
The NCAA’s new transfer rules have been a good thing for football players, giving them more control over their own careers. But in the case of Flowers, staying put may have benefited him, in the eyes of NFL executives who respect a player who wants to finish what he started.
