What draft experts say about Zay Flowers, who worked out with Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes

It would be little surprise to see the Chiefs select a wide receiver in next week’s NFL Draft, given the departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman via free agency.

In what could be a signal of their intent (or a smoke screen to throw off other teams ahead of the draft), the Chiefs reportedly asked one top receiving prospect to join quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Texas.

Mahomes and the Chiefs’ pass catchers are in the Lone Star State to get a head start on the upcoming season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday the Chiefs asked Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers to work with Mahomes in Texas.

Flowers is ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.’s favorite receiver.

“I just love the way he plays. He’s explosive — he ran a 4.42-second 40 at the combine — and is great after the catch,” Kiper wrote. “As I noted in my Big Board, he forced 25 missed tackles last season, the third most in the country for a wideout. And he did that at 5-9, 182 pounds.

“The other thing I like about Flowers? He easily could have transferred to a top-10 program last year, but he chose to stick it out at Boston College — and got better.”

Here’s what other draft experts are saying about Flowers.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler sees Flowers as a starter in the NFL.

“Flowers, who should be the first BC receiver drafted since 1987, is fluid in and out of his breaks with playmaking potential after the catch,” Brugler wrote. “He is more of a glider than sprinter and won’t dust NFL corners with pure speed, but he does a great job utilizing gear change to tie defenders in knots with his quickness. Overall, Flowers is undersized and doesn’t have an ideal skill set for outside work, but he is a savvy and sudden competitor with the play speed and route pacing to create space. He projects as an early NFL starter who is at his best in the slot.”

The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer wrote: “Flowers compares favorably to Tyler Lockett (Seahawks). He is a smaller receiver capable of playing outside with the speed and quickness to take any catch the distance. He also has the toughness to add to his burst after catches in the slot.”

CBS Sports’ Heath Cummings shared this: “Flowers had 1,077 yards and 12 TDs in his final season at BC, which is made more impressive by the fact that his team only threw for 2,965 yards and 21 TDs. He has borderline-4.3 speed and possesses elite change-of-direction skills. He needed those skills at BC, because he constantly faced extra attention from the defenses, and beat it.”