The Kansas City Chiefs have asked prospect Zay Flowers to work out with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
After losing JuJu Smith-Schuster to the New England Patriots in free agency, several fans and figures have pointed to a lack of quality in their wide receiver room. As a result, the Chiefs could add a weapon in the draft.
The consensus top receivers in the 2023 class are TCU’s Quentin Johnston, Pittsburgh’s Jordan Addison, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Boston College product Flowers. Flowers is a smaller target at 5’10” and 182 lbs but he is an elite route-runner with an explosive top speed.
Wednesday was the final day teams could have a prospect visit their team before the 2023 NFL Draft. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs asked Flowers to work out with Mahomes in Texas to potentially establish some chemistry ahead of any selection during the Draft which takes place over three days in Kansas City.
Flowers visited the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday and believed his pre-draft process was over until the Chiefs called. Kansas City appear to be interested in securing the 22-year-old’s services after he registered 78 catches for 1,078 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns for Boston College.
Ultimately, it’s an interesting request from the Chiefs as they didn’t want Flowers to attend Arrowhead Stadium like a normal visit. Instead, the wideout is going to Texas to work out with the two-time league and Super Bowl MVP.
Mahomes is in Texas for the opening fortnight of the Chiefs’ off-season programme which has been kept virtual following their extended season which ended with a Lombardi Trophy lift in Arizona. The 27-year-old hails from Texas, spending high school and college in the area before he was selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
With Mahomes and other Chiefs receivers set to work out with Flowers, perhaps the organisation’s general manager Brett Veach is looking to hear directly from his quarterback about the receiver’s potential. The Chiefs traded away superstar Tyreek Hill last year, and with a mix of free agents and draft picks - including Skyy Moore in the third round last year - went on to win a second Super Bowl in four season.
The Chiefs possess the 31st and final pick of the first round in next week’s draft and if Flowers is on the board, he could be the name they choose and become their first first-round receiver since 2011.
