Pete Carroll ‘Really Excited’ About Tre Flowers’ Rookie Mini Camp, Transition to Corner

When Tre Flowers got the call that would change his life just over a week ago, it came with a probably surprising twist for the four-year college safety.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider made that call to Flowers and shared the good news that Oklahoma State’s leading tackler last year would be taking his talents to the Emerald City.

And he followed up with another revelation. “We’re gonna put you out at corner, let it rip…,” said Schneider.

Head coach Pete Carroll took the handset and further welcomed his next pet project.

“I know you can play safety, I know that,” said Carroll. “… I know it’s a little of a shock for you to maybe hear that, but it’s all for the good.”

But if Flowers was at all taken back by the revelation that he would be making a position change as he transitioned to NFL life, he hasn’t showed. He’s been confident in interviews.

“I feel great,” he said. “Football is football. I’m going to compete wherever I am at on the field. I’m ready for it, whatever challenge is in front of me.”

And after the conclusion of Seattle’s three-day rookie mini camp, it appears he’s been competent on the field. Carroll talked about Flowers’ first few days as a Seahawk earlier this week.

“He had a really nice camp here for us,” Carroll said. “His groin got a little sore today on day three. But he looked very comfortable, very equipped to do the kinds of stuff. The film that we got off the first couple of days of practice was really positive and we’re really excited about that.”

Flowers was asked about learning the Seahawks’ patented “kick-step technique” that they teach their corners, as well as the overall transition of going from more of a rover who can make plays to someone up on the line, now charged with guarding NFL wide receivers.

“First day was a little rough,” Flowers told Seahawks.com. “Second day I feel like I got better. I’m going to keep getting better every day.”

Carroll fell in love with Flowers’ size at 6-3 and 203, his nearly 34 inch arms and his 4.4 40-yard dash. But he says that he really dug into Flowers’ college tape before determining whether he was a fit to play CB.

“He had been in a lot of situations, a lot of different coverage situations and game situations, and he just has a lot of experience,” said Carroll. “That general preparedness is special. Often guys get pigeonholed and they don’t have as many things to draw from. He had a lot of good positive experiences and a lot of tough chances and stuff too. He’s a good tackler, an open-field guy, he has made plays on the ball, all of that, been a leader, good communicator. All of that added to it.”

Flowers still has a long way to go to learn all of the nuances of one of the most important and difficult positions in the modern-day NFL, but it looks like he’s gotten off on the right foot and he has one of the best defensive minds in the business leading the way.