Clark Phillips III
- Position: CB
- School: Utah
- Class: Sophomore
- Height: 5-10
- Weight: 183
Background
- Former 4 Star Recruit out of High School
- Started all 19 games of his career @ Utah
- Originally committed to Ohio State in 2019
- Led the Pac-12 in passes defended with (15) in 2021
- Second-team All-Pac-12 (2021)
- Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List
- California All-Decade High school (Second Team)
Strengths
Clark Phillips III is just getting started. pic.twitter.com/DzkVUHrhWi
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) December 19, 2020
- Physical and Scrappy corner, very competitive
- Sound and intelligent in his technique
- Has proven on the college level that he can play outside as well as inside
- Very strong and compact built, not easily out muscled for position
- Good closing burst in run support and coverage
- Fluid hips and quick twitch movements, mirror and match
- Durable
- Can hold his own in man or zone
- Ball skills
- Well-rounded overall, feel for the position
Weaknesses
- Lack of size and ideal arm length
- Short strider/Heavy legs
- Struggles in off-press coverage/Late to react to what’s in front of him
- Plays too aggressive at times in coverage, will bite on double-moves, and will get beat over the top
- Battles with getting off blocks once engaged
- Long speed, He’s a good athlete for his size but not elite.
Overview
Phillips is a tenacious and competitive CB with a high football IQ that’s ready for the challenge wherever you line him up. What he lacks in size and raw athleticism at the position, he makes up for with dedicated technique and stays true to the fundamentals. His confidence and grit along with the aforementioned IQ and technique have allowed him to get by on the outside at the College level, but his stature and arm length are legit concerns, and could possibly hurt his chances of playing outside at the next level. Everywhere Phillips has been from high school to football camps, he has outworked and outshined his bigger, more highly coveted competition. At the moment, he appears to be a high-level slot (worst-case scenario), but with the entire 2022 season still ahead, plus the NFL Combine and Pro Days, Phillips has more than enough time and opportunity to show NFL Scouts exactly what his value is. His solid performance in the 2022 Rose Bowl versus Ohio State and their assortment of first-round talent at WR really turned some heads and put him firmly on the radar.
