The Roanoke Times | File 2007

Brandon Flowers' 40 time may bump him down several notches on NFL draft day.

How valuable is time? Ask Brandon Flowers. A split second or two on a stopwatch could wind up costing the Virginia Tech cornerback a million or two in guaranteed signing-bonus dollars in Saturday's NFL draft.

Rated by a number of teams as the draft's top cornerback going into the NFL combine in late February, Flowers' mediocre 40-yard time at the league's annual meat market prompted his fall from first to fifth among defensive backs on most analysts' mock draft boards.

Flowers ran a 4.58 40 at the combine, placing him 20th among the 27 corners who tested. If he had run, say, a 4.4, Tech defensive backfield coach Torrian Gray thinks Flowers could have likely been the first defensive back taken in Saturday's opening round. Now, he's looking more like a late first-round or possible early second-round pick, at best.

"If Brandon runs even in the high 4.4s at the combine, he's a top-15 pick it's safe to say and maybe even a top-10 pick," Gray said. "It was just a deal where didn't run the time when it mattered most and when he really needed to. Plus, all the guys he was in contention with all ran great times, so that's why he's not looked at as high in the NFL's eyes.

"Brandon, I guess, from a stopwatch thing, he's not a 4.4 guy. All I know, though, is that on the football field people rarely ran by him."

After only slightly improving on his combine time when ran a 4.54 at Tech's Pro Day in late March, Flowers said his coverage skills and technique -- generally rated tops among all corners in the draft by scouts -- make up for any split second on a stopwatch anyway.

"I know that I'm faster than that," the 5-foot-10, 189-pound Flowers said. "My ability to change direction is a big part of my game. And if you can twist your hips like I can, it's hard to get beaten. I just cover guys and make plays. That's what it's all about in the end."

Exactly, Gray said. He should know. The ex-Hokie corner played three years with the Minnesota Vikings before being forced to retire with a knee injury in 2000.

"Obviously, I've got bias, but I think Brandon is the best corner in the draft," Gray said. "I just think his feel for the game ... he has an 'it' factor with the game. He's not the fastest person, but he's got instincts, toughness, great change of direction. I just think there's a lot of intangibles that's going to allow him to be successful at that level."

Flowers' height may be an issue to some teams. At barely 5-10, he ranks among the shorter third of the corners on the draft board.

"Being a smaller guy, it hurt him more when he didn't run a great 40," Gray said. "When you go to that level, they're going to put a lot of stock in the measurables. That's how the pros do business. That's just kind of how the game is played. I can't say it's unfortunate because even if I'm on that level, maybe I'm guilty of that a little bit, too.

"Saying that, I say turn on the video. From a pure video standpoint, he's the best guy out there."

Where will Flowers likely wind up? NFL draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both have projected him going to Green Bay in the first round (30th overall pick). Others have him going No. 28 to Dallas, but that was before the Cowboys acquired suspended corner Adam "Pacman" Jones from Tennessee on Wednesday. If he falls into the second round, Kansas City, which is in dire need of help at corner, has the fourth pick of Round 2.

No matter what goes down Saturday, Gray said his two-time All-American corner made the right move by leaving Tech a year early for the NFL.

"There's absolutely no doubt about it," Gray said. "Brandon was right to go. He was ready for it. And wherever he winds up, he's going to be a great player. He's got all it takes to have a super NFL career."

Video: Hokie football 2007