It is hard to demonstrate in words just how great of a career Quinton Flowers had at South Florida. During his time with the Bulls, the quarterback set 37 school records, led the team to its only two double-digit win seasons in school history, became the fourth player in NCAA history to pass for 8,000 yards and rush for 3,500 yards in his career and cemented himself as the greatest athlete in school history. All Flowers did at South Florida was win.
Putting the program on the map was something Flowers had in mind when he joined South Florida his freshman season, which was no easy task. In 2013, the year before Flowers arrived on campus, the Bulls won just two games.
In his sophomore year, his first full season as the starting quarterback, the team went 8-5. The following season, they won 11 games, the most in school history, including the Birmingham Bowl over South Carolina. In his senior year, Flowers led the Bulls to 10 wins and another win in the Birmingham Bowl.
Flowers’ stats from his junior season were incredible. He passed for 2,812 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,530 yards and 18 touchdowns. In his senior year, he passed for 2,911 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was one of the most entertaining, if not the most entertaining, player to watch in college football these past two seasons.
Flowers said it means a lot knowing South Florida is in a better place now.
“It just shows that you don’t have to be like everybody else and go to all the big schools,” Flowers said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that the University of South Florida will get the opportunity to play big schools. People will not overlook USF now.”
Now that his time with the Bulls is all said and done, Flowers is now getting ready for the NFL. He has been working on everything he will be doing at the NFL Combine, including throwing and his 40-yard dash. He has also worked out with former NFL star Michael Vick.
There are analysts and scouts that believe Flowers won’t succeed in the NFL due to his smaller size. Some people believe he can succeed at the next level, but at a different position due to his athletic ability. Flowers is out to prove the doubters wrong.
“My main focus is just showing people that no matter how tall you are or how short you are, you can play quarterback,” he said. “And just get opportunity. That’s my biggest thing is just getting opportunities to just go out there and showcase my talent.”
Why should an NFL team take a chance on Flowers? He believes his resume speaks for itself.
“I bring a lot to the table,” Flowers said. “You look at my wins and losses, it shows that I’m a winner. I’m a guy that likes to win and I will do whatever it takes to win.”
Flowers understands that he has a lot to work on, including his accuracy, as he completed 57.7 percent of his passes with the Bulls.
“That’s what a lot of people say,” he said. “I just try to work on everything in the offseason. So I’m working on accuracy and ball location. I’m still working on everything that people always say you can’t do. I work on that every day, day in and day out.”
That kind of attitude is what helped Flowers change the culture of the Bulls. He is a hard worker and brings a winning attitude with him.
Flowers was able to show what he can do during practices for the East-West Shrine Game. Although he ended up not playing in the game due to a death in his family, he was able to talk to some teams that are interested in him playing quarterback.
Quinton Flowers Scouting Report
Flowers stands 6-foot, 210 pounds, which is a bit undersized for the quarterback position, but durability won’t be an issue. At USF, he started every game over his last three years. He has toughness and knows how to avoid contact, whether it’s sliding or evading pressure in the pocket.
After the snap of the ball, Flowers does a good job of recognizing the coverage and planning accordingly. His awareness and feel for pass rushers and coverage give him an edge. He has solid accuracy on short throws. Flowers has decent arm strength as well. He will have to work on his accuracy down the field for the NFL level.
While he sometimes holds the ball too long, it is likely a result of the belief that he can make plays in almost any situation. When the pocket breaks down, he can throw or run, making him hard to defend against. If he does decide to scramble, he is fast and elusive. Flowers has a great one-step juke move that puts defenders on skates. His athleticism has proven to be so good that some believe he can change positions and be successful in the NFL.
Flowers has a high football IQ, is a good leader and is very fast and athletic. With all of these good traits, an NFL team will want to take a look at the tough quarterback from USF.
You can read more about Flowers and his career at USF here.
Full interview for Quinton Flowers:
*Josh Burris interviewed Flowers, while Joe DiTullio provided the scouting report.
Featured image by Photo by Jasen Vinlove / USA TODAY Sports
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