Film Don't Lie | Rico Flores

By Jamie Uyeyama

July 3, 2022

6,256

Notre Dame continues to roll on the recruiting trail and added their second receiver commitment in the 2023 cycle after Rico Flores Jr.‍ declared for the Irish today.

He’s someone who has the skills and mind set to contribute early in his career, which could be huge for a program who is looking at losing as many as three receivers after the 2022 season.

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 190

Projected Position: Wide receiver

ISD Grade: 90 (4-star)

National Average Grade: 91.4 (4-star)

What he does best:

Flores will be a weapon on fades because of how well he tracks the ball over his shoulder.

He snatches the ball away from his body with strong hands and he has a running back mentality to fight for extra yards after the catch.

Some receivers have a lot of work to do as a route runner when they get to college, but Flores is way ahead of the game. His footwork is very good and this particular route is filthy. The corner had no chance to win here.

I believe he is someone who can thrive in traffic over the middle of the field. He shows no fear in taking a hit to make a play.

His effort level as a blocker is very good. He gets after it in the run game and this kind of thing will help him get on the field sooner than later.

What he needs to improve:

He has a tendency to use a similar head fake before cutting. Corners will pick up on that and he needs to mix it up more frequently.

Flores is not a burner and not as naturally sudden as an athlete as some other blue-chip receiver prospects. He’s a very good route runner at this stage of his development and will have to continue to grow there to create separation from defenders in college.

What’s his ceiling?

I see Flores’ ceiling as a high-end possession receiver who can thrive as a 3rd down option. His skill set can allow him to play inside or out, but I like him in the slot.

I always try to find a Notre Dame comp for a commit, but I didn’t have one for Flores that I feel matches his game very well. He reminds me of former Clemson wide receiver Cornell Powell, who was the number one option for them in the 2020 season and was All-ACC that season. On most Clemson teams he’d be a good number two and that’s where I think Flores could project to while at Notre Dame.