Antonio is one of the best defensive linemen in North Carolina in the Class of 2028, plain and simple. Playing for West Mecklenburg last season, Antonio became a national recruit for his explosive first step at the line of scrimmage. That first step led to a lot of disruption in the inside running game and intense immediate pressure when rushing the passer from his defensive tackle position. Expect Flowers to play both inside and outside this season for the Cougars, who look to move him around so opposing offenses can’t consistently set their blocking schemes to account for him.

Flowers has steadily shown more and more potential, getting better by the month. Always a high-ceiling guy due to his athletic profile, he proved as a sophomore that he’s not just a name to stash away for the future. Flowers had nine sacks and 20 tackles for loss last season, winning not just with speed and power, but with pass-rushing moves, as well.

Antonio Flowers Antonio Flowers 6'3" | 270 lbs | DL Chambers | 2028 State NC , edge defender from West Meck, was one of the most disruptive front-seven players in the area last season. He totaled 47 tackles, an eye-opening 20 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks, living in opposing backfields week after week. That TFL number jumps off the page — it shows he’s not just getting to the quarterback, but consistently blowing up run plays before they even get started. Flowers plays with burst off the edge, strong hands, and a relentless motor that keeps pressure on offenses all game long. When you see 20 tackles for loss, you’re talking about a true difference-maker — and Flowers proved he’s exactly that.

Flowers is up 10 spots since the start of the season, and considering he started inside the Top 30, that’s a significant jump. His get-off is ridiculous, and about once a game, he’ll derail a play from the snap. He has a relentless motor, and he hasn’t lost a step since adding weight. In fact, he looks faster than he did before the season. His early production has caught the attention of college coaches, and he’s had a busy January on the recruiting trail.

Antonio was impressive in this game – he has some incredible burst off the line of scrimmage, and ties that with some nice hand usage in order to instantly shed blocks at the snap. Antonio had a fumble recovery and several tackles for loss – showing how impactful he was for his team’s defense. Antonio has great athleticism and speed for his size as well, and he played offensive line for his team in this game on top of that. I spoke with Antonio after the game.

Flowers has been excellent this season in the middle of both three and four-man fronts for West Meck. His impact goes beyond the box score, as he eats up double-teams and re-routes inside runs. He’s flashed some as a pass-rusher as well, with seven sacks. A combination of a few quick wins and a few high-effort sacks.

Matt Morrow was really impressed with Flowers at the CFI Showcase in mid-May, predicting he could get some early recruiting interest and was immediately proven correct when Flowers immediately earned a Syracuse offer the next week. Flowers’ size and quickness should serve him well and we’re excited to continue evaluating him.