Jordan Phillips
Oklahoma, 1T
Height: 6.5
Weight: 334
Age: 22
Check out all of The War Room content
Athleticism: A-
Excellent athletic ability for a defensive lineman, particularly for one of his prodigious size. Moves quickly off the snap, though doesn’t engage as quickly as he should. Fluid lateral mover with flat to flat range. Accelerates on straight line and arrives at the ballcarrier in a hurry when he has a free path. Showed the ability to spot drop in limited opportunities.
Pass Rush: C-
A quick mover who flashes the explosive power to put opposing linemen on skates. Has the ability to collapse the pocket and drive his man into the quarterback’s lap. Works in a spin move as a complement to his bull rush. Too often is content to sit at the line and wait for the ball to get into the air and make a stab at batting it down. Gets his hands up, but doesn’t tip many despite his length and frequency doing so. Lacks a sense of urgency in this phase of defense.
Run Defense: B-
Impressive size and raw strength to eventually become a dominant run stuffer on the interior. Doesn’t maximize his physical tools at this point and will be beaten by superior technique. Can be turned from the hole occasionally against inferior competition. Struggles to anchor effectively against double teams and is not quite proficient at doing so one-on-one, either. Drops his head on contact and will blindly charge into the backfield when he gets penetration. Ends up on the ground all too often and can be defeated by cut blocks.
Technique: D+
Has power in his hands, but rarely chooses to use them to fight off blockers. Leans more than he punches. Pad level is poor, as he is naturally at a disadvantage due to his height, but does himself no favors by playing upright. Didn’t record many tackles from his inside position, and didn’t convert as many opportunities as he should have.
Intangibles: D
Athletic ability allows him to play with very good range for a defensive lineman, but rarely does he make any plays in pursuit. Appears to be going through the motions and never looks to actually make a tackle outside of the box. Motor is inconsistent and physicality is questionable, never playing up to his physical gifts. Instincts are poor and is often moving in the opposite direction of the ball since he fails to keep his head up.
Red Flags: Weight, Underachiever, Moderate Injury Concerns
Bottom Line: Only a redshirt sophomore, Jordan Phillips has moved on from the Sooners and gambled on himself to turn into an effective interior lineman. However, Phillips comes with some major red flags, including his on-field production, weight, and a back injury which ended his 2013 season after just four games. Given his size, Phillips should profile as a 3-4 nose guard, but given his propensity to play small and inability to stave off double teams, he might be relegated to a rotating one-technique in a 4-3 front.
Comparison: Kenrick Ellis
Grade: 7.9 (4th Round)
Thank you for reading. Follow me on Twitter – @LWOS_Sibo. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Main Photo:
