All-American Safety Aaron Flowers Ready to Get to Work in Eugene
There's a lot of elite players out here in San Antonio this week, but one who continues to be a top performer is Forney (Tex.) safety and Oregon signee Aaron Flowers.
He's flashed his skills in pass coverage against some of the top wide receivers and running backs in the country on a regular basis.
The 6-foot, 180-pound defensive back spoke with Ducks Digest following Adidas All-American Bowl practice to give the latest after signing with Oregon last month.
"It feels great. I love competing against the best and showing what my talents are showcasing them," he said of being at the Adidas All-American Bowl. "Being in San Antonio, it's not really far from Dallas, so it still feels like a hometown with other guys coming in. It just feels fun hanging out with them."
Flowers made a deep run into the Texas State playoffs with the Forney Jackrabbits and finished with a 13-2 record. Everyone wants to capture a state title, but he's grateful for the memories and ready for the next level.
"I always wanted to end my career on that note because I always dreamt about it and making that deep of a run. That's a great way to end my senior season. I can't be grateful enough and I love Forney and I thank Forney for what they did to me."
The Texas product chose the Ducks over schools like Oklahoma, USC and Alabama and relationships were part of what made Oregon the school for him.
"It was more of the coaching staff," he said. "Coach [Chris] Hampton, I was his first offer. I knew they really cared for me more as a person over the player. They were recruiting me super hard, doing everything I wanted. I could tell I was their number one option, so that's why I chose to go to Oregon."
His relationship with Hampton in particular has helped him get his mind right for college ball.
"I knew Oregon just kept it real with me. With Coach Hampton, if I had a bad game, Coach Hampton would tell me in pointers, he wouldn't surgarcoat it. He would tell me some parts of my game I need to fix, which I really take into consideration instead of doing all the sugarcoating stuff. I love that about him."
The Ducks are losing three safeties heading into the 2024 season and Flowers knows expectations are high for him once he gets to Eugene. But he's just going to keep his head down and work.
"I'm just taking it one step at a time and pray for God that he has plans for me," he said of his mindset as he heads off to college. "I'm trying to play early for sure, so if I take it one step at a time, who knows what God has planned for me. I know for a fact I'm gonna come out there and grind every day, I know there's a chance for me to come out there and play day one."
For Flowers, he views himself as a well-rounded safety that can do a bit of everything and there's one player who also comes from Texas that he likes to model his game after.
"For me I like to model my game after Jalen Pitre (Houston Texans)," Flowers said. "I'm a more versatile safety, I feel like I'm not really [a] run safety or just a free safety. I feel like I can play both. I feel like there's not really a weakness in my game in that sense."
What does he hope to prove in San Antonio this week?
"I'm proving to show I'm one of the best safeties and showcase that going against the best and showing why I am ranked super high and why I should be in this position."
He wrapped up the interview with a big goal he has for his college career ahead of enrolling at Oregon next week.
"I'm getting ready to work in and we're winning a natty soon. Sco Ducks."
