Former Hog pass-rushers anchor Patriots title push
The Big Red Recruiting Board, 2018
The run-oriented two-back, play-action shot offense
Amid all the rumors of unrest in Foxboro and Tom Brady’s quest for a sixth ring at age 40, two former Razorbacks are playing a major role in getting the Patriots back to the Super Bowl.
Trey Flowers and Deatrich Wise Jr. are two key cogs on the New England defensive line. Brady’s vaunted offensive attack grabs all the headlines, but Flowers and Wise deserve their fair share of accolades for the team’s success.
Flowers, a 265-pound defensive end, arrived at Arkansas in 2011. Although only a 3-star prospect with minimal offers, Flowers would become one of the top pass-rushing defensive ends in the nation. From 2011-2014, Flowers compiled 47.5 tackles for lost yardage (second in school history) and 18 sacks (tied for ninth in school history).
The Patriots selected Flowers with the 101st pick in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. In his rookie season, he picked up right where he left off at Arkansas.
Flowers’ breakout moment occurred on the grandest of all stages. With 3:56 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Atlanta Falcons in field goal range with a 28-20 lead, Flowers sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for a 12-yard loss and forced an Atlanta punt.
Flowers’ four-tackle, 2.5-sack performance helped complete a 28-3 comeback and a Super Bowl LI victory for the Patriots.
Deatrich Wise, while more genetically blessed than Flowers, always seemed to live off of flashes of brilliance rather than the consistency Flowers showed.
Wise joined the Hogs in the final recruiting class of Bobby Petrino prior to the tumultuous 2012 season under John L. Smith. He finished his Razorback career with 112 tackles and 23.0 tackles behind the line-of-scrimmage. Wise also left Fayetteville in 10th place in school history with 16.5 sacks.
Like Flowers, Wise was also selected by the Patriots in the fourth round; this time in the 2017 draft. As a rookie, Wise played in all 16 games and tallied 26 tackles and five sacks.
Together, the two pro Hogs combined for five tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss in New England’s 35-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional round.
Flowers and Wise will now look ahead to the AFC Championship game against the surprising Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff is slated for 2:05 pm (CST) next Sunday, January 21st.
As successful as Flowers and Wise have both been for the Patriots, expect Patriots coach Bill Belichick to go back to the “Arkansas well” in future NFL drafts.