A former Kent State running back says he's suffering from long-term brain injuries due to his college football career ... and he's pointing the finger at the NCAA.
The man behind the lawsuit is Jerry Flowers -- a former high school superstar in Georgia who played for Kent State in 2005 ... racking up 304 yards and 3 TDs during his freshman year.
Flowers says he sustained "numerous concussions" during his college football career and now he's suffering from "several symptoms indicative of long-term brain and neurocognitive injuries."
In his lawsuit, filed in federal court in Indiana, Flowers claims the NCAA actively concealed data about the effects of concussions on long-term health.
He also claims the NCAA did not warn players that their helmets did not protect against concussions, "despite the fact an athlete would naturally think of his or her helmet as protective."
Flowers suspects he has CTE -- and he (along with at least one other college football player) is suing the NCAA for more than $5 MILLION citing fraud, negligence and breach of contract.