Jordan Phillips NFL Draft 2025 Scouting Report for Miami Dolphins DL

The Miami Dolphins selected Maryland DL Jordan Phillips with the No. 143 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Jordan Phillips is one of the better nose tackle prospects in this year’s draft class. As his weight room numbers suggest, he’s as strong as a bull and plays with good pad level, which makes him effective against double-teams. He attacks and can defeat the man he’s lined up across from, and he’s effective at using a corkscrew technique to stay in his gap against double-teams.

As a pass-rusher, Phillips is still very much a work in progress. He does have impressive quickness and athleticism to work with, and he has flashed a few decent moves with an arm-over and spin. However, he needs to rush with a better plan and improve his get-off when bull-rushing to be more consistent.

The good news is that the Maryland product is only 20 years old, according to Brugler, making him a ball of clay that any defensive line coach should be excited to mold. He has plenty of traits to be successful and a well-rounded player in the NFL, which should increase his draft stock.

Schematically, Phillips would be best as a two-gapping nose tackle in odd fronts. He can contribute as a run defender immediately, but he might take a year or two to develop into an every-down player in the NFL.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

— Has plenty of strength at the point of attack to gain control of blocks as a run defender and knock back offensive linemen.

— Takes on blocks with good leverage and a wide base to help absorb contact and stay in his gap against double-teams.

— Good at recognizing down blocks, shifting his eyes and hands to take on the block and avoid getting washed inside.

— Has shown multiple ways he can get off or escape blocks, using an arm-over, hump move or by stacking and shedding.

— Solid quickness and athleticism for his size to help him grow as a pass-rusher down the line.

— Has flashed solid swim and spin moves to potentially add to his pass-rush arsenal.

— Recorded no sacks in college and had minimal pass-rush production in terms of pressures.

— Shorter arms, which limits his extension on blocks against the run and allows offensive linemen to make the first significant contact when rushing the passer.

— Plays with a wide stance that impacts his get-off. Also late to react to the snap and lacks explosion off the line of scrimmage.

— Subpar get-off and leg drive after contact hurt the consistency of his bull rush.

— Gets too far upfield when unblocked against the run. Susceptible to getting trapped.

— Occasionally sheds blocks to the wrong gap, leaving his assignment and creating rushing lanes against zone runs.

— Only 20 years old, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler

— 3-star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

 — Played at Tennessee in 2022 before transferring to Maryland ahead of the 2023 season

— No. 51 on Bruce Feldman’s list of extraordinary college football athletes; squats 665 pounds, power-cleans 365 pounds and overhead-pressed 365 pounds for two reps

GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

PRO COMPARISON: Andrew Billings with more athleticism

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder