Carroll Phillips
33" arms
9 3/4" hands
Height: 6032
Weight: 245
40 Yrd Dash: 4.64
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 23
Vertical Jump: 30
Broad Jump: 10'03"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.3
3-Cone Drill: 7.06
Excellent athlete who plays to his testing numbers when unblocked. Other than the outlier of the vertical jump, he displayed speed, quickness, explosion, and strength at the Combine, and those numbers show up on tape. Disruptive. High motor player. Undersized, but fights through blocks with good physicality, albeit underdeveloped technique. At least one sack in eight out of twelve games this season; didn’t just feast on lesser competition. Produced 58 tackles, 20.0 TFLs, 9.0 sacks in his only season as a starter. Known as the “Wild Man” since his early days. Mentality of a “playmaker” can cut both ways, but at his best, Phillips disrupts the opposing team’s plans and changes their protection schemes. Vague rumors of off field issues, but little information. In interviews he comes across as focused, respectful, and personable. Coaches like him, and he works hard. Football guy.
Fit with the Patriots: In year one, Phillips would be more of a Van Noy backup, or in competition with McClellin. While he lacks the bulk of the more traditional DE/OLB types the Patriots have employed, he does show the physicality, aggressiveness, and willingness to take on blockers and play through contact. Once in a pro strength and conditioning program for a year or two, he could conceivably play at 250 - 255 without loss of speed or agility, and could eventually take Ninkovich’s spot, but only if he can improve his technique against the run.
+ Lightening quick into the backfield
+ Excellent TFL production; gets into the backfield with consistency
+ Experience standing up as a blitzer and in coverage (more at JUCO level than Illinois)
+ Versatile; can play multiple alignments and sides of formation
+ When his technique is right, can lock out arms and control chestplate of blockers
+ Tenacious in pursuit
+ Finds ways back into the play
+ Despite only 1 official forced fumble, looks to punish ball carriers with every hit
+ Takes good angles to the ball carrier
+ Explosive closing speed and reliable tackler to finish plays
+ Plays hard regardless of score
+ Reportedly took well to coaching at Senior Bowl and improved each day in an unfamiliar scheme with new requirements
- Not required to set the edge in college -- Lovie Smith believes in attacking DEs
- Scheme called for upfield rushing; lacks experience against run/screen plays
- Only a single year of production; one year wonder?
- Seek and destroy missile; sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires (bites on misdirection)
- Gets stuck to blocks; not likely a full-time DE at the next level
- Quick spin move, but mistimed at the top of the rush, and therefore ineffective
- Too often pushed past the action on running downs; still tries to get upfield
- Somewhat difficult to project in a read-and-react scheme
- Will need to move to LB in the NFL, but only produced well as a hand-in-the-dirt DE
Extends arms into tackle to prevent getting washed out on the backside of the play, then disengages and chases down the ball carrier. Vicious hitter.
At his best in pursuit, but here are a couple of plays where he fights through a block or bends the edge to make his way to the quarterback.
Works to get back into the play. Could shed more quickly, but shows the strength to push away the blocker and then the closing speed to reach the quarterback.
Easiest run block of this OT’s life, simply pushing Phillips upfield and using his natural aggressiveness against him to take him out of the play.
Short highlight reel from the school:
