CB, Utah
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 184 lbs
Class: rs-Sophomore
Phillips was listed as a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was the sixth highest ranked cornerback in the 2020 recruiting class. He earned 36 offers, including from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State. He initially committed to play for the Buckeyes, but backtracked on his decision following the departure of defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley.
Phillips re-opened his recruitment and soon after signed with Utah. He quickly became a key part of the Utes’ defense and has started all but one game for them since arriving on campus as a freshman. It all culminated in an outstanding 2022 season that saw him earn All-American honours and be voted Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
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Strengths
One of Phillips’ biggest strengths is his athletic profile. He is a noticeably twitched up cornerback with the movement skills to mirror with ease. He showcases lightning quick feet and fluid hips to stick to receivers throughout the route. His explosiveness in short areas is a standout quality and allows him to quickly close throwing windows as soon as they appear. He also has the long speed to stay in phase when carrying quicker receivers on vertical routes.
This all naturally lends itself well to playing in man coverage, an area where Phillips excels. He is incredibly sticky at every level of the field and has no issues mirroring his opponents. In 2022 he allowed just 13 completions in man coverage across his 12 games. His completion rate allowed on his man coverage targets was just 46.4% and he gave up just 111 yards for a passer rating of just 53.4.
Phillips also displays excellent ball skills. Despite being a smaller cornerback, he manages to compete consistently at the catch point. He showcases great anticipation in zone coverage to jump routes and make plays on the ball. His ability to track the ball in man coverage is also hugely impressive and led to a number of key plays downfield. Phillips logged six interceptions in 2022 and had 23 forced incompletions during his collegiate career.
Teams are also going to love Phillips’ competitive toughness. You might not expect it from a smaller defensive back, but Phillips plays the game with real force and tenacity. His effort in every facet of the game stands out and he is a willing run defender and tackler. Phillips has also shown he can add value in the third phase through his involvement in special teams, where he has logged over 160 snaps during his career.
Weaknesses
The most obvious knock on Phillips will be his size. Utah has him listed at just 5’10” and 183 lbs. Some reports have suggested that he is 5’9″ and I wouldn’t be at all shocked if he measures in shorter than that in the pre-draft process. This will naturally raise questions about Phillips’ ability to hold his own against NFL level X receivers and whether he can remain primarily as a boundary cornerback at the next level. I don’t think it is out of the question that he can stay there, but his future might be best suited to a slot corner role.
The other issue with Phillips’ game comes as a result of his lack of size and that is his issues as a tackler. He displays great willingness in this part of his game, but it is apparent that he struggles to consistently wrap up in space, especially against bigger receivers. His lack of length gives him little margin for error as far as his tackle radius is concerned and he does not have the strength to consistently halt his opponents’ momentum.
Bottom Line
Phillips’ college tape is as good as any other cornerback in this year’s class, but he may lack the size to remain on the boundary at the next level. Regardless, his collection of traits are evidently translatable and he will make a very good slot corner in the NFL.
Ideal role: Scheme versatile slot cornerback
Round projection: 1st round
