The first player selected in the 2024 NFL draft from Kentucky football was cornerback Andru Phillips. He was taken in the third round with the 70th overall pick by the New York Giants.
Phillips rose up draft boards through the off-season as he shined at every practice and workout he went through. He stood out at the Senior Bowl and in his Combine and Pro Day workouts.
Last year, for the Wildcats, Phillips recorded 47 tackles and five passes defended. While he didn’t have any interceptions, he proved he was willing, and able, to play man coverage and be physical at the line of scrimmage.
Pro Football Focus loved the pick by the Giants, rating it as the best pick of the third round. They had this to say about drafting Phillips:
The Giants drafted Deonte Banks in the first round of last year’s draft and now add more youth to that group early in the third round this year. His career-best 23 defensive stops led all SEC cornerbacks in 2023, and his 72.9 PFF coverage grade was also the best mark of his career.
It’s impossible to predict how players will perform once they’re in the NFL, but it certainly appears that Phillips landed in a good spot. Big Blue Nation will be rooting for his success going forward.