Flowers is just yet another example of a top OL coming out for the Draft too soon. This 3-and-out mentality is killing the game. Development has largely gone out the window. There's a reason guys like Orlando Pace, Walter Jones and Jonathan Ogden aren't all in the league at the same time. OL used to **** near be mandatory red shirts and always be 4th/5th year guys when entering the draft. They used to enter the league seasoned and well-coached along with being more physically and mentally matured. Just not the case anymore. Skill guys can get away with it more but you still see tons of guys leaving early just to go undrafted. Sad thing is that the entitled mentality and instant gratification these players want is here to stay until something is done systematically to improve the development of young players.
Personally I think all freshman should redshirt to give everyone a year of development so that when they do hit the field they are more physically capable of holding up through an entire season as well as knowing the playbook inside/out as well as getting ahead, or caught up for some, in school. You would see drastically less injuries, better game tape from the players rather than having bad tape early on, more confident/prepared players, and weed out the weak-minded guys and trouble makers before they are able to steal valuable reps from guys more willing to earn it. Plus the coaches would then be able to sign more guys each cycle due to increased turnover/transfers and you should in theory have less kids getting pushed out through attrition bc it would happen more naturally.
Secondly, I think the NFL should take the approach similarly to the NBA and allow these prospects to go through more of the draft process before having to declare and still be able to return later. But the NCAA and their hypocrisy will be the largest hurdle here.
Lastly, since it would be almost impossible for the NFL to create a developmental/minor league due to cost restraints, barring combing the AFL/CFL/IFL in billions in expenses, they should just expand the Practice Squad by a large number so they can scrimmage either their own players against each other OR against opposing teams, so they can get game reps with full contact to really focus on development... which I feel is actually fairly realistic imo. Just my two cents...
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