Louis Riddick predicts Dolphins LB Jaelan Phillips will break out in 2023
Former Miami Hurricanes‘ star Jaelan Phillips has proven to be a dominant pass rusher in the NFL during his first two seasons. He’s already racked up 15.5 total sacks his first two years in the league, proving to be a highly disruptive force. On Sunday evening’s SportsCenter, ESPN’s Louis Riddick said despite his dominance, many NFL fans still don’t know about Phillips and just how good of a player he truly is. This year will be his first year under his new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and Riddick believes a breakout season is coming in 2023 for the gifted linebacker.
Check out the conversation below with Matt Barrie. And you can read the transcribed quotes below the video, as well.
“Yeah, I’m gonna pick out Jaelan Phillips, who’s now in his third year out of the University of Miami, in his first year with Vic Fangio and his newly configured 34 configuration, 3-4 defense, as an outside linebacker. This is a guy who has 15-plus sacks in his first two years combined. But I’m telling ya, Jaelan Phillips is not yet a household name despite the fact that he has one of the highest pass rush win rates in the NFL among pass rushers. And despite the fact that he was a first rounder,” Riddick continued.
In 2022, Jaelan Phillips posted a 24% pass rush win rate, tying him for fourth in the National Football League with Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson.
“This is the year that I think #15 that you see on your screen, who is one of the best athletes in the NFL regardless of position. He is the perfect match, the perfect prototype 34 outside backer. This has to be the year that he bursts onto the scene and becomes a superstar. Because there’s no reason for him not to. There’s none. He’s got power, he’s got speed, he can rush from the three technique over a guard. He can line up as a defensive end in a two-point stance. This guy can play linebacker, this guy can play strong safety. One of the best athletes in the NFL, regardless of position. Who’s had 15 sacks in two years, 15-plus,” ESPN’s NFL expert explained.
In 2022, Phillips racked up seven sacks, 61 tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. In 2021, he racked up 8.5 sacks, 42 tackles, and one fumble recovery.
“But he’s a guy who still….people go…Jaelan Phillips? Oh yeah,” Riddick continued. “Remember that guy who was drafted in the first round a couple years ago by Miami out of Miami, transferred from UCLA? Thought about quitting football. Yeah, Yeah. That’s cool. Whatever. Who’s next? Let’s talk about Tua. Let’s talk about Tyreek. No. Jaelan Phillips has to go off. And he should in Vic’s scheme. I can’t wait to see him line up Week 1.”
Following his redshirt junior season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2020, Phillips earned first team All-American honors from the AFCA. He started all 10 games, racking up 15.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, ranking him among the nation’s leaders in tackles for loss. Before joining the Hurricanes, he spent the first two seasons of his college football career with the UCLA Bruins.
Coming out of Redlands East Valley High School (Redlands, California), he was ranked as a five-star prospect in the 2017 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He earned the prestigious honor of being ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in that class, according to those same rankings.