When you're a 6-foot-6, 329-pound behemoth of a man, it's not all that surprising if you have some issues with balance, especially when said balance issues come as a direct result of other monstrous human beings doing their best to punch and rip and power their way past you in order to reach a, comparatively much smaller, man who just so happens to hold the key to victory grasped firmly in his hands.
For Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, a 2015 NFL Draft prospect with incredible measurables and an abundance of innate talent, there has to be at least one knock on him as he enters the league, and that knock just so happens to be his footwork and balance.
Still Flowers, despite the knock, presents enough athleticism and ability to project as a high-level NFL player and thus is likely to be selected at some point in the early portion of April's draft.
Flowers, considered a "big, physical, dominating run blocker" who "needs to get a little bit better, technique-wise, in pass protection" by NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, has, according to reports, drawn considerable interest from the group of teams in the NFC's Southern division, and specifically the Carolina Panthers, during the pre-draft process.
"All four of the NFC South teams are showing significant interest. Sources have told us that Flowers will take pre-draft visits to visit the Buccaneers and Panthers," Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com reports. "Carolina offensive line coach John Matsko flew to Miami to work out Flowers and take him to dinner recently. The Falcons are going to Miami for a private workout with Flowers, and the Saints will meet with Flowers before his pro day. The Bucs are coming to Miami to conduct a private workout with Flowers, and he will also go visit the team at One Buc Place."
While each of the NFC South teams could certainly find a place for Flowers in their lineup, the Panthers in particular are needy along the offensive line. Franchise signal-caller Cam Newton faced a ton of pressure last season and Flowers would both be a fantastic fit on the right side initially and would offer a potential long-term answer on the left side in the future.
"He will be an upgrade at right tackle" for the Panthers, Jeremiah said. "To be honest with you, he's better than anything they got at left tackle, too."
With the Panthers slated to select at 25th in the first-round, need and value could align pretty well for Carolina.
The Bucs are set to select first-overall so, barring a trade back into the latter portion of the first or Flowers falling to the second, they'd seem to have little chance at nabbing him.
For the Saints, Terron Armstead seems to have the potential to fill the left tackle spot long-term, but Zach Strief is getting a little long in the tooth and GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton could look to upgrade his spot with the addition of Flowers.
The Falcons also seem to have their long-term answer at left tackle in place already in last year's first-rounder Jake Matthews, but unless they're sold on Ryan Schraeder or the rehabbing Sam Baker as the answer on the right, Flowers could be the most important offensive addition Atlanta makes this offseason beyond new head coach Dan Quinn.
