Why Trey Flowers Will Succeed at Outside Linebacker

To understand what the future might hold, we must look to the past. According to 247Sports, Flowers was listed as an OLB, coming out of Columbia High School in Huntsville, Ala. From there, Flowers attended college at Arkansas. 

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden (then an ESPN analyst) had this to say about Flowers prior to the 2015 draft: 

"Arkansas EDGE player Trey Flowers reminds me of LaMarr Woodley coming out of Michigan. He physically can play the run. He could be an outside linebacker and stand on his feet. He has the ability to move on a zone blitz, read the quarterback, break on the ball and intercept it. He is instinctive, he is physical and he is relentless. A lot of times, teams are forcing you to play nickel all the time, anyway, and the outside linebacker in a 3-4 plays defensive end in the nickel. I need a guy who can play both positions. Flowers can do that." 

Because Flowers, who also starred in basketball in high school, did not fit the mold of what teams wanted in a pure DE or OLB at the time, he slid to the fourth round. This is where Flowers perfectly fit into New England's defensive scheme. 

The Patriots primarily played in a 3-4 base during Flowers' time there, and Flowers lined up as a "Jack," which is a position where an OLB also doubles as a DE. 

In that system, Flowers blossomed into a $90 million free agent, and that is when his career path intersected with Detroit.   

Based on the aforementioned logic, it is both reasonable and prudent to deduct then that Flowers can indeed make this transition. In fact, it may prove to be a more natural fit. 

Not every 4-3 DE could make the adjustment Flowers is being asked to make. In fact, few probably could. However, the stars have aligned this time around, in terms of both what Campbell wants and what Flowers can do.  

And, just because I do not ever recall a time in my life when I have seen Detroit line up in a 3-4, it does not mean it is not a good idea. 

With an increasing number of NFL offenses throwing quick and short bubble screens to receivers and with more backs bouncing their runs to the outside, it only makes sense to adjust by placing teams' most athletic play-makers, like Flowers, in position to make plays without compromising their ability to get to the QB.  

Now the Lions just need to pray he doesn't get hurt, as they continue to build for the future.