Eighth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes defensive back.
Jalen Flowers made a spectacular one-handed interception in a one-on-one drill during the spring. He didn’t run off the field waving his arms wildly or proclaim he’s the greatest lock-down cornerback since Deion Sanders.
“I’m not really a talker,” he said. “I let my game show it.”
He gives Palos Verdes High a 6-foot-2, 175-pound sophomore defensive back with the rare skill of being able to stick with any and all receivers. They can make moves, they can run their best patterns, but escaping Flowers doesn’t happen very often.
His instincts, lanky frame and knowledge from playing receiver come into play at a position in which misjudgments or a failure to respect an opponent can leave the defender getting burned for a touchdown.
“He’s got a knack,” coach Guy Gardner said of Flowers’ ability to cover receivers. “We coach him the best we can, but most of the things he does we didn’t coach. The way he carries himself, covering guys, running routes, things came naturally.”
He showed up during the summer of his freshman season and immediately got noticed as someone with talent. “It was pretty obvious,” Gardner said.
A 16-week season that led to a Division 2-A state championship saw Flowers catch four passes for 58 yards and one touchdown in the final. He finished the season with 26 tackles and one interception in his first full season playing defensive back and was literally growing taller every month.
“We didn’t think about him being a freshman from the midpoint of the season,” Garner said.
Flowers has played football since he was 6, so nothing an opponent tries to do on a football field ever surprises him.
“He really enjoys playing,” Gardner said. “You can see it when he plays. And he has some God-given ability.”
There are so many defensive backs with college football scholarship offers this season in Southern California that you’ll get a different answer every time you ask, “Who’s best?”
Madden Riordan, a USC commit from Sierra Canyon, had 11 interceptions last season. Isala Wily-Ava of St. John Bosco had 72 tackles as a sophomore safety along with seven interceptions. Aaryn Washington, a junior at Mater Dei, had 23 tackles and three interceptions during a 13-0 season. Gardena Serra has a trio of defensive backs headed to the college ranks in Wesley Ace, Marcellous Ryan and Duvay Williams.
There are schools with multiple top defensive backs, including St. John Bosco, Serra, Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita. No one is perfect. Even the best give up a touchdown on occasion.
But pay attention to what Flowers accomplishes in his sophomore season. Prepare for the bandwagon effect when people realize his gift for sticking close to receivers and start figuring out he’s no fluke.
And Flowers warns he’s not done growing.
“I might have an inch or more in me,” he said.
Said Gardner: “He’s putting in the work ethic with that ability and keeps getting better.”
Wednesday: San Pedro kicker Dylan Moreno.
Defensive backs to watch
Davon Benjamin, Oaks Christian, 6-0, 170, Sr.: Oregon commit returned three interceptions for touchdowns last season
Havon Finney Jr., Sierra Canyon, 6-3, 170, Sr.: LSU commit is terrific cornerback
Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes, 6-2, 175, So.: He covers receivers so close he knows what gum they are chewing
Josh Holland, St. John Bosco, 6-2, 175, Sr.: USC commit with long arms and deceiving strength
Derrick Johnson, Murrieta Valley, 6-2, 170, Sr.: Oklahoma commit is tall, aggressive cornerback
Jeron Jones, Mission Viejo, 6-0, 195, Sr.: Washington commit makes big plays and big tackles
DeVohn Moutra Jr., Gardena Serra, 5-9, 190, Sr. Defensive player of the year from Mission League
Madden Riordan, Sierra Canyon, 5-11, 164, Sr.: USC commit had 11 interceptions
Aaryn Washington, Mater Dei, 6-0, 160, Jr:. Ready to make a leap in production
Isala Wiley-Ava, St. John Bosco, 6-3, 195, Jr.: Had seven interceptions as a sophomore
Donte Wright, Long Beach Poly, 6-2, 170, Jr. Georgia commit is fast, tough and smart