- From his first day on campus, Utah CB Clark Phillips would change school history. The highest nationally-ranked high school player to ever commit to the Utes, Phillips played in thirty-one games will in Salt Lake City. Additionally, the five-foot-nine corner took home the 2022 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. On top of that, the Lakewood, California native earned a unanimous All-American selection. During his time as a Ute, Phillips picked off nine passes, returning four for touchdowns.
NAME
Clark Phillips III
POSITION
Cornerback
HEIGHT
5’9″
WEIGHT
184 pounds
SCHOOL
Utah
Strengths
In grading the prospect, and his body of work, you need to observe how film and statistics mesh. First, the nine interceptions profile Phillips and his ability to break on the ball. With little wasted movement, the player makes up his mind and makes that decision in a hurry. Second, Phillips shows a knack for securing the interception on the run, turning defense into offense. As mentioned, he flipped four picks and turned them into scores. As a result, he loves gaming quarterbacks into poor throws. Next, Phillips plays a little like former Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield. A small player that player with surprising strength and tenacity, Phillips loves the contact aspect of the game and gives no quarter to larger wideouts.
Weaknesses
For all of his positive traits, the elephant in the room is Phillips’ height and the problems that it causes. Granted, the physicality helps but surrendering six to eight inches in height can’t be hidden. Teams will see the height differential and lob that 50-50 ball up in the air, daring Phillips to stop him. Now, we mentioned Phillips’ feisty nature, but understand that physicality will most certainly garner attention via flags. Under those circumstances, teams could be scared enough to use Phillips exclusively in the slot. Now, that could affect his draft status, depending on where teams see him.
Ideal Role
Unlike many draft picks, teams could see Phillips in various roles. If an NFL team sees him as an outside corner, can he fight and win a battle with a bigger player that may not possess the same ball skills? In all honesty, a smart coach will try Phillips at multiple positions as a cornerback. Equally important, Phillips will need to see bunches of reps. With his height issue, he must develop a feel for the NFL game. Granted, that won’t help him grow taller, but it will aid him in figuring out using the cerebral part of his game to compensate for the height disparity.
Potential Fits
DeMeco Ryans wants to build from the defense out. With that said, look for him to attack the defensive side of the ball during the draft. The prospect will benefit from a young coach that is looking to mold a unit in his image. Ryans played with an intellectual style that used his physical gifts better when matched up with superior athletes. Initially, starting Phillips in the slot would give him exposure to various schemes and packages immediately. In the NFL, teams want to spread out defenses and pick on the third and fourth cornerbacks with a quicker wideout. Phillips sports elite agility and should thrive in the slot.
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