Possible Patriot Target in the 2015 NFL Draft – Jordan Phillips NT Oklahoma
 Jordan Phillips can be a big body NT to help replace Vince Wilfork if he falls to the Patriots in the 2015 NFL Draft (USA TODAY Images) |
As the 2015 NFL Draft draws closer we’ll profile some of the players that may be on the Patriots radar. Some of these players have already been linked to New England as possible targets others, we feel would be a great fit.
Check out our earlier profiles on DE/OLB Nate Orchard from Utah, Carl Davis, DT Iowa and Tyrell Williams, WR Western Oregon.
The Patriots are still looking to build some depth at the interior defensive line position. Vince Wilfork, a stalwart for 11 years is gone, as he signed a free agent contract with Houston. The team has Sealver Siliga, Alan Branch, Chris Jones, Joe Vellano and last season’s top pick Dominique Easley who suffered with knee woes and was placed on IR.
Jordan Phillips is a big (6’6, 334), nose tackle with a massive frame similar to Terrance Knighton the former Denver Bronco. Phillips is strong, can defeat double-teams playing at the nose tackle and is a perfect player to play the two-gap, read and react defense in the run game.
Phillips a red-shirt sophomore, is surprisingly athletic and nimble for a man of his size. He can chase down runners and has very good straight-line speed. He can play either in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense with ease making his versatility a plus, something that always resonates with Bill Belichick.
Phillips started all 12 games for the Sooners in 2014, and true to form, he stuffed plays at the point of attack, allowing the linebackers to make plays. He recorded 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks in his final season in Norman.
Pros:
- Naturally large man with long arms and thick legs make him difficult to move.
- Excellent initial burst, can knock centers backwards
- Nice swim move and when cut loose can penetrate into the backfield
- Two-gap capable, excellent fit for the Patriots defense
Cons
- Only started the equivalent of one season (17 games) while at Oklahoma
- Plays too upright when tired, losing leverage
- Had back surgery that derailed his 2013 season
Phillips, with limited starts as a collegian, is widely thought to have just scratched the surface of his potential. He could use some more consistency with his motor as he has disappeared for stretches, but when he’s on, he can be a dominant interior player.
His pass rush is something that can be improved upon, as we noted above, he displays a nice swim move but could use a more effective bull rush, at times getting too upright, a common problem with much taller players. Does get his hands into the passing lanes and can be effective in knocking down balls at the line of scrimmage.
Fit with New England: While he possesses a different body type than Wilfork, Phillips could be groomed to take over the role that big Vince held down for so many years. For now the Patriots have Siliga and Branch to hold down the fort. If they were to draft Phillips, the Patriots could ease him in without Phillips having to play the majority of the snaps from jump street.
His versatility makes him extremely valuable. A big, big man who can play either the nose in a 3-4 or slide to a traditional DT in a 4-3. But he’s a perfect fit for the NT and with an improved pass rush repertoire, he could be great addition to the Patriots defense.
The only big red flag is his injury history; he had a back issue that bothered him for a few years before having surgery in 2013 to alleviate that. He did seem healthy for all of 2014. The injury concern is the most concerning and not having a ton of starts at the college level.
Phillips has been mocked to the Patriots by a couple of different Draft analysts with pick #32. Although many have Green Bay taking him with the # 30 pick. He’s definitely someone to keep an eye on in the Draft if he falls to the Patriots at the end of the first round.
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