Tag: Clark Phillips III

Arthur Smith on Clark Phillips: ‘We have a lot of confidence in Clark’

#Falcons head coach Arthur Smith on Clark Phillips III filling in for Dee Alford: “We have a lot of confidence in Clark”

The Atlanta Falcons (4-5) will be without one of the key members of their secondary when they face the Arizona Cardinals (1-8) in Week 10. Nickel cornerback Dee Alford has been ruled out of Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury.

The team will look to Mike Hughes and rookie Clark Phillips III to fill in for Alford on Sunday. Phillips, a fourth-round pick out of Utah, has only appeared in four games this season.

The rookie has played exclusively played on special teams, but it’s likely we’ll see him taking some reps on defense this weekend. Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is confident that Phillips can get the job done.

“We have a lot of confidence in Clark,” Smith told reporters on Friday after Alford was ruled out for Week 10.

Phillips was considered a steal in the fourth round due to his versatility and NFL-readiness. However, he hasn’t gotten much playing time this season due to the team’s improved depth at defensive back.

Alford is having a great year, plus Jeff Okudah, Jessie Bates, Tre Flowers and Mike Hughes were all added over the offseason. This has made it tough for the rookie to get playing time.

Along with Alford, the Falcons have ruled out wide receiver Mack Hollins for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. Defensive lineman David Onyemata was listed as questionable on the official injury report.

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Falcons’ Clark Phillips makes list of potential Day 3 starters

NFL.com named Falcons DB Clark Phillips III as one of 12 potential starters taken on Day 3 of the draft

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The Atlanta Falcons won’t need to lean on their 2023 NFL draft class as heavily as they have in years past. General manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith went on a spending frenzy to eliminate most of the major holes on the roster before the draft.

Still, it never hurts to find overlooked talent in the later rounds. In 2022, the team found running back Tyler Allgeier in the fifth round, and by the end of the season, the rookie had supplanted Cordarrelle Patterson as Atlanta’s No. 1 back.

So which member of the Falcons’ 2023 class could have an Allgeier-like impact this season? In a new feature by NFL.com, Chad Reuter examines 12 potential rookie starters who were selected on Day 3 of the draft. According to Reuter, Falcons defensive back Clark Phillips III has a chance to start as the team’s nickel corner in 2023:

Phillips was one of the top defenders in college football during his Utah career. His size (5-foot-9, 184 pounds) and average speed (4.51-second 40-yard dash) predictably pushed him into the fourth round, but I expect him to make plays from the slot in training camp and preseason games, reading routes and the eyes of quarterbacks to earn the nod as the starting nickel back. — Chad Reuter, NFL.com

Phillips was considered a steal in the fourth round as the former Utah standout was projected to go in the second or third round. In 2022, Phillips recorded six interceptions playing both inside and outside corner for the Utes.

Will Phillips be able to crack the rotation in the Falcons’ revamped secondary? Atlanta signed Jessie Bates III, Mike Hughes, and Tre Flowers in free agency, and traded for former No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah.

So while we expect Phillips to get some playing time, it’s tough to envision the rookie earning a starting role early on. Atlanta has signed five of its six draft picks, including Phillips, but second-round pick Matthew Bergeron remains unsigned.

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Falcons sign DB Clark Phillips III to rookie deal

The #Falcons have signed defensive back Clark Phillips III, the team’s fourth-round pick out of Utah

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The Atlanta Falcons now have two-thirds of their 2023 NFL draft class under contract after signing fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III on Friday. Phillips, who had six interceptions during his final season at Utah in 2022, should bring some versatility and play-making ability to the Falcons secondary.

Atlanta also signed seventh-round pick Jovaughn Gwyn Friday afternoon, which comes one day after the team inked first-round pick Bijan Robinson and seventh-rounder DeMarcco Hellams.

As for Phillips, many view him as a steal for the Falcons in the fourth round. Here’s what Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar had to say about the former Utah standout following the 2023 draft:

He may not fit everyone’s prototype at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, but he proved more than able to shut down some of the NCAA’s best receivers both outside and in the slot. Last season, Phillips allowed 41 catches on 66 targets for 511 yards, 286 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, six interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 68.4.

Second-round pick Matthew Bergeron and third-round pick Zach Harrison each remain unsigned as the team goes through rookie minicamp.

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Falcons CB Clark Phillips III named team’s biggest draft steal

Touchdown Wire named #Falcons DB Clark Phillips III as the team’s biggest steal of the 2023 NFL draft

One year ago, the Atlanta Falcons landed one of the biggest steals in the 2022 draft when they selected running back Tyler Allgeier out of BYU in the fifth round. Allgeier rushed for over 1,000 yards during his rookie season, and he should be a big part of Atlanta’s offense for years to come.

Joining Allgeier in the backfield this season is first-round pick Bijan Robinson. While fans have debated whether or not it was the right call to take a running back in the top 10, it’s hard not to get excited thinking about what the combination of Robinson and Allgeier could do in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense.

But which member of the 2023 draft class will give the Falcons the most bang for their buck? Touchdown Wire released a feature naming one steal from each draft class, and fourth-round pick Clark Phillips III was their pick for Atlanta’s biggest draft steal:

Phillips is the first of two steals at cornerback in this draft whose size was the only real debit. He may not fit everyone’s prototype at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, but he proved more than able to shut down some of the NCAA’s best receivers both outside and in the slot. Last season, Phillips allowed 41 catches on 66 targets for 511 yards, 286 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, six interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 68.4. You need look no further than the work he did against USC’s Jordan Addison (who was taken by the Vikings with the 24th overall pick) to understand Phillips’ NFL potential. — Doug Farrar, Touchdown Wire

It’s easy to see why Phillips is the pick here. Not only is he someone who was undervalued due to his size, he was considered a lock for Day 2 in most pre-draft projections.

The Falcons secondary has undergone a bit of a makeover this offseason. Casey Hayward has been swapped out for Jeff Okudah, and Isaiah Oliver has been replaced by Mike Hughes. However, the team’s biggest offseason addition was that of safety Jessie Bates III.

Atlanta’s pass defense needs all the help it can get. In 2022, the team allowed 231.9 yards per game through the air.

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2023 NFL Draft: The best draft steal for every NFL team

Every NFL draft has its selection of steals — those players who could surprise despite their low selections — and here’s one for every NFL team.

One of the many reasons the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII was the job that general manager Brett Veach did outside of the first round of the 2022 draft. Three defensive backs (Bryan Cook in the second round, Joshua Williams in the fourth, and Jaylen Watson in the seventh) were difference-makers all season, and seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco became the team’s bellcow back down the stretch. Also, second-round receiver Skyy Moore joined Pacheco with touchdowns in that Super Bowl victory over the Eagles.

First-round hits are nice, but it’s almost worse to miss in the first round than it is better to win there from an opportunity cost perspective. If you want to refresh your roster at a championship level, you had better get those picks right on the second and third day. Veach and his staff did that, and it was the difference that made all the difference in the end.

Moving to the 2023 NFL draft, we’ve selected one second- or third-day pick for every NFL team who could have a similar impact on their NFL roaters sooner than mater. Each of these players have reasons for their relatively low picks in line with their tape, stats, and talent, but these are the kinds of finds that can turn a team around over time.

2023 NFL Draft: Best value picks in the fourth round

NFL teams got all kinds of prospect value in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, and here are the best fourth-round value picks.

You wanna tell me that players selected in the fourth round can’t ball in the NFL?

In recent years, Kirk Cousins, Geno Atkins, David Bakhtiari, Dak Prescott, K.J. Wright, De’Vondre Campbell, and Za’Darius Smith are among those who would vehemently disagree with you.

Throughout pro football history, there’s Charles Haley, John Stallworth, Steve Largent, and Cliff Branch who would be happy to show you their gold jackets. (R.I.P., Mr. Branch).

So, the guys selected in the first round of the third day of the 2023 draft have every opportunity to stick it in the faces of all the teams who passed them by in the first three rounds.

As they say, all it takes is one team, and here are the best value picks in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Grade the Falcons’ 4th-round selection of CB Clark Phillips III

Fan Poll: Grade the Falcons’ 4th-round selection of Utah CB Clark Phillips III

The Atlanta Falcons opened the 2023 NFL draft by taking back-to-back offensive players, but they have evened things out with two straight defensive picks in rounds three and four. Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III was the team’s choice at pick No. 113.

Grade Atlanta’s latest draft pick in our Falcons fan poll below!

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Falcons draft Utah DB Clark Phillips III in the fourth round

The #Falcons have upgraded their secondary, drafting Utah defensive back Clark Phillips III in the fourth round

The Atlanta Falcons have upgraded their secondary, selecting Utah defensive back Clark Phillips III in the fourth round (pick No. 113) of the 2023 NFL draft.

Phillips is a bit undersized but makes up for it with excellent play-making ability. In 2022, he racked up six interceptions for the Utes, while allowing 41 catches on 66 targets.

Ranked as the No. 62 player on the Pro Football Focus big board, Phillips should compete for snaps at the nickel cornerback spot for Atlanta this season:

Phillips may not tick the size and speed boxes some want to see, but he ticks the tape box. He earned an 86.3 coverage grade this past fall with six picks and four pass breakups.

The Falcons opened the draft with two straight offensive players, and now they’ve added two consecutive defensive players with Phillips and Zach Harrison in rounds three and 4.

The Falcons have two picks remaining (Nos. 224 and 225) before their 2023 draft class is complete.

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10 best players for Jaguars to target in Day 3

The Jaguars still have 10 picks in the 2023 NFL draft. Here are 10 prospects who would make sense for the team:

The Jacksonville Jaguars surprised most when they opted not to address any of their defensive needs and instead picking offensive tackle Anton Harrison, tight end Brenton Strange, and running back Tank Bigsby in the first three rounds, respectively.

After accumulating 10 picks in rounds four through seven, the Jaguars still have a chance to address a lot of areas before the weekend is over.

But finding a star in Day 3 is tough.

Here are 10 players who stand out as prospects that could interest the Jaguars in rounds four, five, six, and seven:

NFL draft: Best remaining players on Day 3 from Forness’ big board

Going into day three, there is still really good talent to be had.

The Minnesota Vikings had only one selection on day two of the NFL draft. They traded back with the San Francisco 49ers and ultimately selected USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon.

As the team heads into day three of the NFL draft, they have five selections and many promising players still available on the board.

Managing editor Tyler Forness put together a big board prior to the NFL draft beginning and there are still multiple players in his top 20 left on the board. Here are the top 10 players available on Forness’ big board.