NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Southeast Missouri State WR Ryan Flournoy

Ryan Flournoy is an older prospect with good size and tons of explosive athletic ability. Flournoy is well-built at nearly 6'1" and 202 pounds, and he has massive hands to go along with it. He is built like an outside receiver and often played there in college.

Flournoy also moves like a dangerous outside receiver. He screams off the line of scrimmage and builds up to a fairly threatening top speed. Not elite speed, but more than enough. Flournoy is also explosive when he knifes up the field, particularly after catching YAC-oriented routes such as slants and shallow crossers.

With that said, Flournoy’s best trait is his ball-tracking. Flournoy is such a natural pass-catcher. He’s more solid than good in contested catch situations, but when trying to snag throws outside his frame and when asked to adjust to the ball, Flournoy is as reliable as any.

The main drawbacks with Flournoy are that he is not yet a refined player, especially at the line of scrimmage. Flournoy does not use his hands whatsoever to beat press or fight for space at the top of routes. Given that he is also average when it comes to agility and being a slippery lateral mover, its easy for DBs to get into his frame and slow him down.

Despite his age, Flournoy is just too explosive and natural of a pass-catcher to look over on Day 3. It may be a long shot for Flournoy to blossom into a true NFL difference-maker at this point, but he profiles well as a functional rotational outside receiver with flashes of playmaking ability.

Ryan Flournoy

Contract Year Players Poised for Breakout Seasons

You know what motivates players unlike anything else? Simply being in a contract year. It’s the one season upon which financial futures hinge for hundreds across the NFL. Have a down contract year, and you could be looking at the vested veteran minimum or a cheap one-year “prove-it” contract. Erupt in your contract year, and you’re fielding a variety of multiyear deals with signing bonuses that eclipse all the money you’ve made to date.

Which players are bound to ascend in their contract years this season in the NFL? Below I’ve listed my five favorites.

Rashid Shaheed

NO • WR • #22

Shaheed is technically an impending restricted free agent, but every once in a while, an RFA gets signed to offer sheets by other teams and moves locales when the original team doesn’t match.

Derek Barnett

HOU • DE • #95

Barnett was a top-20 selection all the way back in 2017. Fascinating thing about that – he was only 20 when he was drafted, so despite being as much of a household name as one instantly becomes as a first-round pick, the former Tennessee Volunteers phenom was a relative disappointment in Philadelphia.

Osa Odighizuwa

DAL • DT • #97

When we think Cowboys defense we think Micah Parsons. And since he’s on a first-ballot Hall of Fame trajectory, no one will blame you for him coming to mind before anyone else.

Andre Cisco

JAC • FS • #5

If you don’t pay close attention to the Jaguars, or maybe your favorite team isn’t in the AFC playing the Jaguars twice a year, the name Andre Cisco probably doesn’t mean much to you. But let me tell you, this is one of the premier young safeties in football.

Samuel Cosmi

WAS • OG • #76

Right now, Cosmi is probably the most underrated blocker in football. Never hear or read a word about him. But the collegiate tackle turned professional guard started strong as a rookie and has gradually improved since 2021 inside, closer to the football.

 Contract Year Players

Reaction to Speech Shows What We Value

Paul Stuligross

Recently, there was somewhat of an uproar over statements made by NFL kicker Harrison Butker during a commencement speech he made at Benedictine College. The message that sent the media into a frenzy? That young women should not deride the idea of motherhood or wifehood, but rather, be proud of that desire.

Interestingly, at just about the same time, Travis Kelce, a player from the same team (Kansas City Chiefs) was invited to Cincinnati University, where he celebrated his diploma on stage by ceremoniously chugging a beer to the applause of the crowd and laudation of the media.

It should come as no surprise what the media celebrates and denigrates these days. What should surprise us is when fellow Catholics laud and denounce the same things.

Harrison Butker