Tom Flacco's goal is to play quarterback in the NFL, but he's taking a more challenging path than his older brother.
While Joe Flacco was a Ravens first-round draft pick in 2008, Tom may go undrafted later this month. A standout quarterback at Towson the past two seasons, Flacco wasn't invited to the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game, or the Scouting Combine.
Five inches shorter than the 6-foot-6 former Ravens quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Tom may have to earn his way into the NFL as an undrafted free agent. But Ravens General Manager Eric Decosta believes the younger Flacco has a legitimate chance to realize his NFL dream.
"Obviously, we know a lot about Tom," DeCosta said. "We admire his grit. He thrived this year. From a size standpoint, probably a little bit below the line. But he's got a really good arm. He's been an accurate passer. He can make most of the throws.
"In the late rounds, would it surprise me if he gets picked? Not at all. I think he's smart, it won't be too big for him. He's been around the league because of his brother. He's got a advantage that a lot of guys don't have because he's at least had a glimmer of what it's like being in the NFL. I think he's going to prepare well. I think he's got a shot."
Flacco had impressive numbers the past two seasons at Towson, throwing for 6,082 yards and 50 touchdowns in 24 games. He was also a lot more mobile than his brother, running for 1,406 yards in his college career.
Like Joe, Tom was a college transfer who began at Western Michigan, then to Rutgers, before landing at Towson, where he started his first game. Tom sparked the Tigers program, and is now hoping his hybrid style is a good fit in the NFL, similar to what Taysom Hill has brought the New Orleans Saints. Hill went undrafted out of BYU in 2017.
Flacco's chances of being drafted were not helped by the coronavirus pandemic, which wiped out any chance he may have had to impress teams during face-to-face workouts. During a recent conference call, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said he did not think Flacco would be drafted.
"I'd say he would have to battle his way into camp as an undrafted priority free agent and see what happens," Kiper said.
Joe Flacco is currently a free agent, but if he and Tom are in the league next season, they would be just the 12th quarterback sibling combination in league history. Josh McCown and Luke McCown were the last quarterback brothers to play in the league at the same time in 2016.
