Tag: Clark Phillips

Commanders 7-round mock draft fills multiple needs

Our first seven-round mock draft for the Commanders fills multiple needs with players who can help right away.

What is the Washington Commanders biggest need heading into the 2023 NFL draft this week?

Washington isn’t taking a quarterback early, choosing to roll with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett in 2023. The Commanders will likely add a quarterback at some point in the draft, but that likely occurs on the final day.

A primary focus for Washington is adding young talent to the offensive line. Washington has largely ignored its offensive line in the draft, and that must change. The Commanders could use help all across the offensive line.

Washington will also target a cornerback, presumably sometime in the first three rounds.

We here at Commanders Wire took our shot at a Commanders-only seven-round mock draft.

Let us know what you think.

Rams like Utah DB Clark Phillips’ versatility. Could he be a Day 2 target?

Clark Phillips III said the Rams like his versatility as a hybrid defender. Could he be a Day 2 target for them?

It’s a near certainty that at some point in the draft, the Los Angeles Rams will draft a cornerback. They’ll probably draft a safety, too. Whether it’s in the second or seventh round, the Rams need to address their secondary, which has lost four starters this offseason.

Clark Phillips III out of Utah is a defender who could help the defense in a variety of ways. He’s a versatile cornerback who lined up outside, in the slot and in the box during his college career, showing the ability to cover all types of wideouts.

The standout DB had six interceptions last season and had an overall grade of 85.2, according to Pro Football Focus, showing off his ball skills and instincts for the Utes. Phillips is projected to be a Day 2 pick in the draft, going somewhere in the second or third round, most likely. The Rams have three picks between No. 36 and 77 and he could absolutely be a target for Los Angeles in that range. They’ve expressed interest in him, too.

In an interview with The Draft Network, Phillips told Justin Melo that the Rams and Chiefs both view him as a hybrid defender and see him as a versatile player in the secondary.

“The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams called me a hybrid player,” Phillips said. “They told me they see a lot of versatility in me because I can play both inside and outside for them. There’s a lot of value I add to a defense because I’m so versatile. The general consensus just slightly leans towards nickel.”

Phillips said it’s about a 60-40 split for teams viewing him as more of a nickel defender in the slot compared to an outside cornerback, which is understandable. He’s only 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, so he doesn’t have the typical size of a traditional corner.

But players similar in stature have found success in the NFL as safeties and slot defenders, including Tyrann Mathieu and Budda Baker. Phillips could be next in line as an impactful defensive back in the middle of the field. The question is whether he’ll become that for the Rams or another team.

Don’t be surprised if the Rams land Phillips with Pick 69 or 77 next week as they attempt to rebuild their secondary this offseason.

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Lions to host Utah CB Clark Phillips on a pre-draft visit

Phillips is undersized but produced a lot for a very good defense at Utah

After meeting with Georgia DT Jalen Carter on Monday, the Detroit Lions will welcome a much smaller defensive prospect to Allen Park on Tuesday for another pre-draft visit. Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports the team will have Utah cornerback Clark Phillips in for a “top-30” visit.

Phillips is generally projected as a Day 2 pick. His game tape and production (9 career INTs) at Utah scream top-25 overall, but he comes up short athletically. At just 5-foot-9 and with underwhelming speed and agility testing, Phillips will be a leap of coaching faith at the next level. Despite his smallish stature, he projects as an outside-only cornerback in the NFL.

The meeting in Detroit for Phillips follows a formal visit with the Lions at the NFL Scouting Combine.

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Commanders named a potential fit for Utah cornerback

Clark Phillips would be an outstanding addition on day two for the Commanders.

Utah cornerback Clark Phillips surprised everyone by committing to the Utes out of high school. After all, Phillips was considered a lock for Ohio State after spending six months committed to the Buckeyes.

A four-star prospect, Phillips was considered one of the top cornerbacks entering college football. And it didn’t take long for Phillips to make his presence felt at Utah, becoming an immediate starter as a true freshman in 2020.

Phillips completed his collegiate career in 2022 by being named PAC-12 defensive player of the year and a unanimous All-American. He then entered his name into the 2023 NFL draft.

At the NFL combine in March, Phillips measured in at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds while being timed at 4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Of course, with so many focused on length and speed, Phillips wasn’t receiving the same type of praise as others in a deep cornerback class.

But the NFL is paying attention.

Phillips is an outstanding player, who can play outside or move inside to cover the slot. He’s tough and competitive with a high football IQ, meaning he will help someone immediately.

Could that someone be the Washington Commanders?

The Commanders have a need at cornerback, and Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network recently profiled Phillips, naming Washington as one of Phillips’ best potential fits at the next level.

As it stands today, Kendall Fuller is CB1a opposite Benjamin St-Juste. Whether Washington wants him to continue to live outside, slide into nickel (where he’s been best in his career), or do a little bit of both, Phillips can fit that role as well and play off of Fuller wherever he isn’t. He would provide another young alpha within a secondary flooded with youth-infused athletes.

Phillips isn’t going in the first round, which would allow Washington to focus on another position, like the offensive line, and still land a future starter at cornerback. Will Phillips go in the second round or fall to the third round?

One thing is certain; he will go sometime on day two. Phillips would be a welcome addition for the Commanders who love “position flex.” Phillips provides that at cornerback and at a high level.

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4 nickel cornerback options for the Browns in the 2023 NFL Draft

Could the Browns find a slot cornerback in the draft?

Last season former first-round pick Greg Newsome II was the primary slot player for the Cleveland Browns with mixed results. He has, however, expressed that he no longer wishes to play inside so if the team is looking for a new starter or just slot depth the draft has some intriguing options.

General manager Andrew Berry loves players with versatility, and this class has a lot of slot players that also play deep safety as well as an outside corner. Though the team has invested a lot in the position, in the modern NFL you can never have enough cornerbacks. Especially when Newsome and Denzel Ward are likely to miss time with an injury.

Underwear Olympics: Stock up/down on cornerbacks after testing

Overall there were some impressive numbers from the cornerbacks.

This 2023 NFL Draft cornerback class is a good and intriguing one with plenty of talent for teams looking for corner help. Though corner is a strength of the Cleveland Browns they still need to figure out the nickel corner role. Greg Newsome II doesn’t seem to want to play the position and neither Martin Emerson Jr. nor Denzel Ward is suited for the role. The Browns got a better look at these guys at the NFL Scouting Combine.

With plenty of talent at the outside corner position as well as some intriguing options for teams like the Browns looking for a slot cornerback. Let’s take a look at the biggest movers after the scouting combine and athletic testing for corners are completed.

 

Potential Chargers prospects to watch in Pac-12 Championship Game

Looking at a few prospects who could be on the Los Angeles Chargers’ radar.

When the USC Trojans and Utah Utes meet up in Friday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game, several prospects will showcase their talents on a supersized stage, with a handful of NFL evaluators watching closely.

Let’s look at a few who could be on the Chargers’ radar.

TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

The Chargers could address the tight end position next offseason, given Donald Parham’s lingering injury concerns and Tre’ McKitty hasn’t provided much value. Kincaid is a proven pass-catcher with good route-running skills, can produce after the catch, and has the toughness to win and secure crowded catch points. In addition, he is consistent as a blocker. Kincaid amassed 103 receptions for 1375 yards and 16 touchdowns in 25 career games.

CB Clark Phillips, Utah

Brandon Staley said last offseason that as long as he’s head coach, the Chargers will always be looking to upgrade the cornerback room. Should they look to address the positional room early, Phillips is a fine option. The name of Phillips’ game is instincts, excellent movement skills, physicality, and ball skills. Listed at 5-foot-9, Phillips plays bigger than his size. While he may be relegated to slot duties, he’s showcased the ability to play outside at a high level. In 2022, he only allowed 37 receptions on 64 targets for 430 yards, four touchdowns, and a 65.6 quarterback rating. He also amassed six interceptions, five passes defended, and two touchdowns.

DT Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

The Chargers upgraded the defensive tackle position with Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, and Otito Ogbonnina, all of whom are solid run defenders. But they are lacking interior defenders who can get to the quarterback. Tuipulotu is just that. Tuipulotu generated 49 pressures, 11 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and 13 sacks in 354 pass-rush snaps. The 6-foot-5 and 290-pounder has the versatility to line up across the line, having played 751 snaps at defensive end, 428 at the three-tech, and 177 at nose tackle.

WR Jordan Addison, USC

The Chargers need to look to add an explosive element to the offense next off-season. Addison could be just that. The former Biletnikoff winner, Addison, has put up 54 receptions for 810 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2021, he posted 1500 yards and 17 touchdowns at Pittsburgh. While undersized at 6-foot and 170 pounds, Addison has the speed, elite route running skills, elusiveness after the catch, and strong hands of an NFL receiver.

Other players to watch for

LT Braeden Daniels, Utah

EDGE Gabe Reid, Utah

RT Sataoa Laumea, Utah

CB Mekhi Blackmon, USC

OL Andrew Vorhees, USC

5 Utes the Ducks need to watch out for in Saturday night showdown

There are five Utes Utes the Ducks need to hold down in order to avoid a two-game losing streak.

There were just two “utes” in the movie My Cousin Vinny, but on Saturday night inside Autzen Stadium, there are five Utes Oregon needs to pay close attention to in order to avoid a second straight loss.

Utah is 8-2 on the season with road losses to Florida and UCLA. Luckily for the Ducks, this matchup will occur at Autzen Stadium and not Rice-Eccles in Salt Lake City where the forecast calls for a high of 37 and a low of 17.

The Utes are coming off of a 42-7 win over Stanford and the Ducks are going to try and make sure the Huskies don’t beat them twice. Unfortunately, the Utes actually did beat Orgon twice last season and that should be on the minds of some of the players that suffered those defeats.

In order to exact some revenge, Oregon will need to concentrate on these five opponents and limit their damage.

Too-early 2023 mock draft lands Lions some interesting choices

Too-early 2023 mock draft from Touchdown Wire lands the Detroit Lions some interesting choices

Doing mock drafts for the following offseason is an exercise in pure speculation. Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire knows that and makes it clear in his too-early 2023 NFL mock draft that it’s an “inaccurate exercise at best”.

But it’s still a fun exercise to see what teams might look to add after the next season, and also to get an idea of what players might be of interest when the Detroit Lions are on the clock in 2023.

The Lions have two first-round choices once again, their own and the Los Angeles Rams’ pick. Based on current Super Bowl odds, those picks wind up at No. 3 and No. 30 overall.

With the No. 3 pick, Schofield slots Alabama QB Bryce Young to Detroit. Correctly noting that “if they are picking third-overall next year, quarterback is going to be a priority”, Schofield tabs the very impressive but very undersized Young to Detroit.

There will be questions about his size and his frame, but his production, ball placement and ability to work from the pocket were strengths during the 2021 season, and could even improve in the year ahead.

At No. 30, the projection goes to the defensive side of the ball with Utah CB Clark Phillips. A ballhawk who also happens to be a great open-field tackler, Phillips is an early hedge against Jeff Okudah not being able to live up to No. 3 overall expectations from his high selection in 2020.

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