EDGE, Miami
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 266 lbs
Class: rs-Junior
Jaelan Phillips is one of the most interesting prospects in the 2021 Draft. A former No. 1 overall recruit, he medically retired from football at the end of the 2018 season. He has since made a surprise return with a transfer to Miami, playing the best football of his career. His 2020 form saw him voted Second Team All-ACC and he might just have played himself into first round contention.
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Strengths
Phillips is one of those players with incredible natural ability. That isn’t surprising for a former No. 1 overall recruit, who was ranked above the likes of Chase Young and Tua Tagovailoa. He has the prototypical size and length to play the position in the NFL, with the ideal combination of strength and speed to be a nightmare for opposing tackles. His ability to move offensive linemen is akin to what you would expect from a much bigger player.
You won’t find many prospects who are as explosive off the line of scrimmage as Phillips. He’s comfortable playing out of either a two or three-point stance and showcases excellent bend off the edge. He converts speed to power very effectively and there are multiple reps where he easily beats the opposing tackle to the edge of the pocket. He plays with a high motor too and you will see him chasing plays down, with enough speed to catch quarterbacks and running backs from behind.
Phillips’ sample size is admittedly pretty small, but his numbers are very impressive. He has 42 total pressures on just 286 pass-rushing snaps in 2020, including nine sacks. His PFF pass-rushing grade of 86.5 ranks ninth amongst college edge rushers with at least 250 pass-rushing snaps.
What makes Phillips one of the most exciting prospects is his ability to play the run as well as he plays the pass. He is not just a designated pass-rushing specialist and he’s excellent at setting the edge and stuffing the run. His 28 defensive stops rank third amongst all Power Five edge rushers. He is also one of only three draft-eligible prospects with an 80+ PFF pass-rushing grade and run defense grade.
Weaknesses
When it comes to weaknesses, Phillips is not lacking in the talent department. If this draft were ranked purely on the basis of on-field talent and production, he would be in contention as one of the top edge rushers in the class and a sure-fire first rounder.
Phillips’ biggest concern as a prospect is his injury history. An ankle injury limited him to just six games in his freshman season at UCLA and a scooter accident led to multiple wrist surgeries. He played just four games in his sophomore season, before concussion symptoms ruled him out for the rest of 2018. Phillips made the decision to medically retire from football in 2018, having played just 12 games and 420 career snaps at UCLA.
He transferred to Miami in 2019, but sat out the season in order to recover from his injuries. This seems to have worked well and Phillips hasn’t missed a game all season for the Hurricanes. That said, his injury history will be a concern for some and could limit his draft stock.
The other obvious side effect of his injuries is a limited sample size. As impressive as Phillips has been this year, it is his only full season of college football. He has played just 962 snaps through four years. For context, his Miami teammate and fellow 2021 prospect Quincy Roche is at 2,292. Teams are going to have concerns about whether or not Phillips can maintain his current level of performance over a longer period.
Bottom Line
There is no question about Jaelan Phillips’ talent. He has the prototypical build of a modern edge rusher, with all of the athletic tools to match. The fact that he has managed to overcome his significant injury history is incredibly impressive and he’s been one of the best pass-rushers in college football this season. If teams are satisfied that his medical issues are behind him then he has all of the talent to be a first round pick in April.
Big Board Rank: #30
Position Rank: #4
