Seahawks’ Tre Flowers on transition to CB: ‘I’m up for a challenge’
May 3, 2018, 10:06 AM | Updated: 10:24 am
Tre Flowers, who played safety at Oklahoma State, will be a cornerback with the Seahawks. (AP)
(AP)
After being selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of last week’s NFL draft, former Oklahoma State safety Tre Flowers isn’t just joining a new team this spring – he’ll also be transitioning to a new position: cornerback.
The Seahawks weren’t the only team to approach Flowers about switching to corner during the scouting process (the Falcons were also interested in testing him at the spot) but they were certainly one of few. Still, Flowers doesn’t mind the request. In fact, he’s embracing it.
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“I’m up for a challenge,” Flowers told 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton during an interview Tuesday morning. “It’s something I’m a little bit comfortable with. But it’s a whole new position and I’m just ready to learn, I’m ready to soak it all in.”
At 6-feet-3 with 34-inch arms and a 4.45 40, Flowers certainly fits the mold for a Seahawks cornerback. Last year with the Cowboys, Flowers was named to the AP 2017 Second-Team All-Big 12 and finished the year with 79 total tackles and two interceptions.
“It was truly special, it was amazing just finally getting a call,” Flowers said of being drafted by the Seahawks April 28. “Working as hard as I did for everything to get to this point, them calling me was a dream come true.”
Flowers told Clayton he’s very familiar with Seattle’s secondary, having watched their defense for the last several years. There are a number of defensive backs he studies – Vikings safety Harrison Smith is a current favorite – but there’s one thing he truly appreciates about the play of former Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman: his confidence.
Now, Flowers prepares to head to Seattle for rookie minicamp, which kicks of Friday, May 4. The first thing he’s looking forward to? Learning Seattle’s kick-step technique.
“It’s something I really watched a lot … I don’t know the basis of it or anything. But it helped me out a lot just being long, it really helps me read a lot of receivers, get hands on early like I want to do, so I’m really happy to learn this from Coach Carroll, get all the bases down and the discipline of it.”
