Cleveland Browns: Grading the 2020 NFL Draft class, pick-by-pick analysis
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 3b. 53. Linebacker. LSU. Jacob Phillips. player
Draft Grade: B+
There was an LSU linebacker taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft taken by the division rival Baltimore Ravens. But the Cleveland Browns selected an LSU linebacker that had 87 more career total tackles and 37 more solo tackles.
These two players, Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips, both helped lead their team to a National Championship in 2019, but are very different prospects. Phillips has been much more solid and reliable throughout his career, while Queen came on strong in 2019.
Even in 2019, however, Phillips totaled 28 more total tackles and eight more solo tackles than Queen, totaling 113 tackles, 56 solo and 7.5 for loss.
While Queen is the more athletic, big-play oriented prospect with higher NFL upside, Phillips is a very sound and reliable tackler in the middle of the defense. Phillips has been paired, now, with two first-round picks (Devin White who was drafted by the Buccaneers last year) and has still been incredibly productive and a staple on the field for the Tigers defense.
Phillips is rather unspectacular but solid across the board, excelling as a sure-handed tackler in the run game. Sounds a little like the former Cleveland Browns linebacker that he will be trying to replace in Joe Schobert.
Whether it’s him covering a zone, competing with tight ends in man, taking on blockers in the run game or blitzing the passer on third down, Phillips does what he’s supposed to do and does it well. He does lack the athleticism and upside of Queen and some other linebacker prospects, but he is a very serviceable and reliable player.
That bit of disparity between Phillips and other linebackers available to the Cleveland Browns brings this grade to a “B+”. Malik Harrison also went to those rival Ravens, just one pick after Cleveland went with Phillips, and I think he was a better option.
But otherwise, Phillips is a very solid pick at a clear position of need for the Cleveland Browns. The 2020 NFL Draft third-round pick will compete with veteran B.J. Goodson and 2019 picks Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki for playing time at linebacker in 2020.