FRISCO, TX — No, Ryan Flournoy didn't suit up for a big program at the college level and, no, he didn't find himself getting call on the first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he's quickly beginning to make the Dallas Cowboys look exceptionally smart in taking him with their sixth-round pick.
The rookie wideout has been impressive since minicamp, and his training camp was punctuated not only by big plays on the practice field in Oxnard but also in the preseason games — grabbing two touchdowns in the process that put his freakish athleticism and fiery onfield demeanor on full display.
"My passion," Flournoy said when asked what his most important attribute is entering his first year in the league. "I play with so much passion because I love this game. I've given my all to this game and I respect the game so much so ,even with blocking, just showing how tough I can get to make a way for the running back to get his.
"My passion is my superpower."
The 24-year-old effectively forced the Cowboys to run long at the position to avoid losing him to waivers or free agency, and that means his first-ever NFL game will be for Dallas, and presumably against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8.
Flournoy's collegiate career began as a redshirt at Central Missouri, stalled by both injury and the COVID pandemic of 2020, leading him to transfer to Iowa Western Community College for a hard reset, and it worked, seeing as he finished his first season there as the team's lead receiver and lifting them to a NJCAA national championship appearance.
He also scored both of their touchdowns in that 31-13 loss.
Despite that production, Southeast Missouri State was the only Division I school to send him an offer, and off he went to join the Redhawks en route to earning honors as First-Team OVC in 2022. His perseverance and performances led to not only the 2024 NFL Combine, but also the East-West Shrine Bowl, Hulu Bowl and Reese's Senior Bowl. Testing off of the charts, his freakish athleticism charted a 9.88 out of a possible 10 on the Relative Athletic Scale (RAS).
With that kind of road to this moment, Flournoy takes nothing for granted.
"I'm just gonna keep playing football," he said. "I always tell myself I belong, and I believe I belong. Just going out there with a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I should've been at an FBS school. I feel like I should've been a first-rounder.
"That's how I feel in my heart. I have to prove that to myself first and then the world will see."
His chemistry with All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott is building by the day, as well.
"I've been getting way more reps than I usually have with Dak, and I'm getting comfortable with him and how he operates," said Flournoy. "He's a great quarterback so when I'm in there, I just want to be on point and there's no dropoff when I'm in there with B. Cooks and CeeDee — I want it to be the same and look the same: smooth sailing."
If Flournoy can continue this trajectory going forward, opposing defensive backs better batten down the hatches.
