FRISCO, Texas — The wait for their second pick on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft was a much shorter one than when they sat tight to go on the clock with the 174th-overall pick, selecting cornerback Caelen Carson out of Wake Forest. This time around, the Dallas Cowboys went on the clock in the sixth-round, and quickly knew exactly who they wanted.
With the 216th-overall pick, the Cowboys selected …
Round 6, No. 216: Ryan Flournoy, WR, SE Missouri State
Three things to know:
- First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference (2022)
- Team captain
- All-conference pick in high school
Yet again, the Cowboys have selected one of the best pure athletes in this year's draft, with Flournoy grading out at an inhuman 9.88 on the Relative Athletic Scale (on a scale of 1-10).
Flournoy will be immediately looked upon to not only contribute on special teams, but to also attempt to step in and replace what was lost with the decision to release Michael Gallup. He can give the team some reps inside at times, but his bread and butter is as an outside receiver that is ready-made to make plays as an X receiver — Gallup's former role.
Value-wise, this is also not a draft reach, with some viewing Flournoy as a fifth-round pick and virtually no one projecting him to make it out of the sixth round, and he hasn't.
His journey to the role of Cowboys' receiver is one filled with challenges that he's overcome, working his way up from Central Missouri and then a stint with Iowa Western Community College to earning conference honors in his first season with Southeast Missouri State — where he started in 11 games and led the entire team with 984 receiving yards, receiving touchdowns (7) and receiving yards per game (89.5) (again, in his first year with that program).
His 4.44 second 40-yard dash only further illustrates the point regarding his athleticism, as does his 39 ½" vertical (89th percentile), 132" broad jump (94th percentile); and his 19 bench reps (83rd percentile) indicate he's not only fast and quick, but packs some serious strength in his 6-foot-1, 202 lb. frame.
Flournoy absolutely destroyed the NFL Combine tests.
On the field, he's shown to have hands that don't often drop passes and contested throws are his wheelhouse, rarely outmuscled or outjumped at the highest point of attack.
Much like Gallup, as it stands, you won't accuse Flournoy of being the best route runner, and that's something that will need improvement at the NFL level, but if you're looking for a large-framed receiver that can outmuscle smaller corners and linebackers and that won't be disturbed easily at the line of scrimmage, Flournoy fits the mold effortlessly.
And I do mean effortlessly.
