Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 mock draft: 2nd round
You can never have too many pass rushers.
The Jaguars have Josh Allen off the edge on one side but this past year, they traded Yannick Ngakoue to the Vikings (who traded him to the Ravens) and they need more of a presence off the edge.
With only 10 games at UCLA as a five-star prospect and the number three prospect in the entire country in the class of 2017, there was a lot more intrigue than substance with Phillips prior to his lone season with the Miami Hurricanes defense.
He showed out in a big way in 2020, perhaps boosting his stock and drawing the interest of NFL clubs more than any player on the defensive front. He was named a 2020 All-American after 10 games, 15.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, and three pass deflections.
At 6-foot-5, 266 pounds, Phillips has the kind of size you look for in the prototypical edge defender, and his ceiling is obviously through the roof.
Because of his potential, he could wind up going somewhere in the first round, but if he’s sitting on the board for the Jaguar’s top pick on day two, they could have an interesting decision to make.
There is just so much talent here and Phillips’ production this past season has given evaluators a lot to chew on.