Andru Phillips 2024 NFL Draft: Combine Results, Scouting Report For Kentucky CB

Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Andru Phillips (23) breaks up a pass intended for Clemson Tigers wide receiver Troy Stellato (10) during the second quarter of an NCAA football matchup in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

NFL TRANSITION

Phillips was a fun player to watch and evaluate, given his extensive experience playing outside and in the slot in Kentucky’s defense. My strong sense is that he will likely project and transition to the next level as a slot corner. There’s no question that there are NFL corners who play on the outside with the height/weight and arm length measurables of Phillips, but he does not play big on tape.

He plays like a smaller, quick-sudden athlete who is best suited to play the slot. Phillips showed light, quick feet with loose hips, smooth transitions, and a change of direction, easily flipping his hips and opening his stride when he had to turn and run vertical routes.

Phillips has the footwork and sudden twitch to play mirror match press man, but he also played a high percentage of off coverage, where his hip fluidity, short-area quickness and burst to plant and drive and react laterally showed up on tape. Phillips played more man coverage in the slot than he did on the outside, and he showed the quickness, burst and play speed to match multiple routes and impact both the receiver and the throw.

Overall, Phillips does bring outside-inside versatility as you transition him to the NFL and while he is not necessarily too small to play effectively on the outside, my strong sense is that most teams will project him as a slot corner. Is there a comparison to be made to Roger McCreary when he came out of Auburn? McCreary has played outside and the slot with the Titans but is better suited to play inside, where he has a chance to become a good player.

OTHER NOTES

Phillips played four years at Kentucky becoming a full-time starter in 2023. He finished his college career with 16 starts in 38 games.

Phillips was predominantly the field outside corner in the Kentucky defense, but he also played significant snaps in the slot (31 percent of his snaps). In 2022, Phillips played more than twice as many snaps in the slot as he did outside.

There were snaps in which Phillips sunk from slot corner alignment to play half field safety in cover 2, and snaps in which he was deployed as a blitzer when aligned as the slot corner. There were man-to-man snaps versus Georgia, where Phillips matched up with Brock Bowers.