Virginia Tech football: 18 days til kickoff with a look back at Brandon Flowers

Today is August 13, 2019, which means we are officially just 18 days away from the Virginia Tech Hokies opening the college football season at Boston College. Yesterday, we profiled Danny Coale for No. 19. Coale was a four-year starter at wide receiver for Virginia Tech and is among the top-five receivers in school history.

For No. 18, we go back to the defensive side of the ball as we look back at cornerback Brandon Flowers.

Flowers arrived in Blacksburg in 2004, via Atlantic High in Delray Beach, Fla. If that sounds familiar, it’s the same school that produced Jayron Hosley, David Clowney and Luther Maddy. Flowers, surprisingly, was just a three-star player coming out of high school. Flowers came to the Hokies in a talented 2004 class that also featured Eddie Royal.

Flowers was set to play right away as a freshman. While he didn’t play in the season opener against Southern Cal, he did make his debut the next week against Western Michigan. His impact was immediate, as he made one tackle, picked off a pass and ran it back 38 yards. Unfortunately, he would suffer a fractured fibula and miss the remainder of the season.

He returned in 2005, playing in every game and made one start. Flowers made 20 tackles on the season, 1.5 for loss, picked off one pass, broke up four passes and had five passes defensed. He was set for a huge role in 2006.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2006, Flowers started all 13 games for the Hokies. He finished with 51 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, 18 pass breakups and 21 passes defensed. He also forced a fumble. Flowers showed everyone what an elite cornerback was back in 2006, with his tackling ability, coverage skills and ability to put pressure on the quarterback when Bud Foster would send him. It was truly a terrific season for Flowers.

In his redshirt junior season of 2007, Flowers started all 14 games for Virginia Tech. He was third on the team in tackles behind Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi with 86 from the cornerback position. He also had eight tackles for loss, five interceptions which he returned for 93 yards, nine pass breakups and 14 passes defensed. The Hokies won the ACC again that season. Much like Danny Coale yesterday, the Hokies won 10 games or more every season Flowers was on campus.

Flowers was named to the All-ACC first team in 2006 and the second team in 2007. Macho Harris actually made the first team over Flowers in 2007. That’s how good the Hokies were in the secondary. Flowers was also honored as a two-time All-American.

He would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2008 NFL Draft. He was picked 35th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he would spend six seasons. He signed a huge contract in 2011 with the Chiefs due to his outstanding play over the first three seasons of his career. Kansas City released him in 2014 in a cost-cutting move, Flowers quickly found a home with the San Diego Chargers. Originally, he signed a one-year, but was outstanding once again and the Chargers rewarded him with a four-year, $36 million extension.

In March 2017, the Chargers released him and he announced his retirement in August 2017. For his career, Flowers played in 119 games, making 487 tackles, three sacks, forced four fumbles and picked off 21 passes. He also scored four touchdowns. Not only was Flowers a great Hokie, he had a terrific NFL career, too.

After retirement, Flowers returned to Virginia Tech to complete his degree in sociology. Flowers is now living in his home state of Florida and is a regular visitor back in Blacksburg.