Justin Flowe played in just one game in 2020 and ended up tearing his meniscus which forced him to miss the rest of the season. It seemed like a sick joke that the most hyped up linebacker in recent memory was sidelined before he could even get started, but luckily the Ducks had depth at the position.
Still, watching a promising freshman year cut short due to an injury was tough.
Flowe had the potential to become a staple of that Oregon defense but he recorded just one tackle before tearing his meniscus in a COVID-shortened year. It’s not like this was a full season nor did it have the feel of a normal one, but even in a lesser year, getting Flowe on the field early would have been great for the future of the defense. Losing him hurt.
Still making his way back to being 100 percent, Flowe is looking like the backup at WILL linebacker behind Isaac Slade-Matautia but that could all change under Tim DeRuyter.
The new defensive coordinator may want to go with the shiny new toy over the veteran linebacker in his first year in charge of the Ducks’ defense but that may take a few games. Barring injuries or some sort of scheme change, Flowe is likely to be in the two-deep as a backup.
But that could change.
Justin Flowe will be a household name in 2021
I’ll be your unofficial leader of the Flowe hype train. I’ll drive the train until he finally becomes a household name which could happen in 2021. If he’s not a star by the end of the 2021 season, I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a starter/star in 2022.
Flowe has the size at 6-foot-2 and 246 pounds and he was the No. 6 prospect in America in the 2020 recruiting class. He’s aggressive, athletic and has all the characteristics of an NFL-caliber linebacker. If he stays healthy, the sky is the limit.
Staying healthy is the main key here.
I have no doubt that if Flowe is healthy and he approaches his potential, he becomes a fan favorite and a Pac-12 star. He could be just who this Oregon defense needs.
Oregon is deep at receiver but why not go young and elite with Noah Sewell and Flowe lining up next to each other? The ceiling would be unreal.
All aboard the Flowe hype train. It’s about to leave the station.