Jordan Phillips, Maryland: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Phillips was a three-star recruit from Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Fla. in the class of 2022
Maryland’s Jordan Phillips is one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s a young player with plenty of room for technical growth, but his frame and athletic profile offer less versatility and value on passing downs than many other options in this deep interior defensive line class.
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Jordan Phillips, IDL Maryland: 2025 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Redshirt sophomore nose tackle from Ocoee, Fla.
Background: Phillips was a three-star recruit from Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Fla. in the class of 2022. He was the No. 650 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 702 for On3.com. Phillips was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 77 grade out of 100. He transferred from Tennessee to Maryland for the 2023 season. As a senior, he amassed 56 tackles, including 29 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. Phillips produced 71 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and five sacks, and two forced fumbles in eight games as a junior. He also competed in wrestling and weightlifting. Phillips qualified for the Florida 3A State Tournament in the heavyweight division as a junior. He was born on June 30, 2004.
Injuries & Off-Field: N/A
Awards: N/A
Pros: Special teams experience on the field goal and field goal block units, Freaks List inclusion, club-swim, spin move, powerful chops, push-pull move, two-handed bull rush, swipe and swim counters, de-cleating bull rush drives centers into the pocket, anchor-breaking force, impressive bull rush on stunts, good hand placement to access the center’s chest, some pop in hands, maintains a low pad level in the vertical run game, flashes of resetting the LOS, uses leverage to displace centers in the run game, stout anchor at the POA on inside zone runs, wide base and core strength to absorb and survive combo blocks, pries the o-lineman’s pad level up with a long-arm
Cons: Lacks nose tackle mass for the NFL, arm length isn’t elite, late off the line, limited explosiveness off the line, pad level jumps up on extended plays, lacks bend to flatten rush angle, limited pass rush arsenal, bull rush isn’t consistently dominant and dies out before reaching QB, spin is his only polished move, club move doesn’t disorient offensive linemen, doesn’t deploy counters to break clamps consistently, too many reps without swatting or swiping the lineman’s hands, no way to revive pass rush plan after it dies, offers no pass rush upside vs. double teams, inconsistent gap integrity, too willing to flow with the o-line on misdirection, displaced horizontally by angle blocks, driven out of plays when center frames his inside shoulder, doesn’t separate from blocks and pursue the football in a timely fashion, struggles to break clamps, limited speed to help in pursuit
Overview: Phillips is one of the youngest prospects in the 2025 class and won’t turn 21 years old until after being drafted. He played a lot of shade nose for Maryland and took snaps at 0-tech, 2-tech, and 3-tech. Phillips is a sturdily built, low-to-the-ground defensive lineman, but he lacks the traditional mass for a nose tackle. He’s a physically limited player with 31 1/2-inch arms (NFL Scouting Combine) or up to 32-inch arms (pro day). Phillips’ power profile is excellent, but he’s not explosive or bendy. Rigidity in his lower half leads to his pad level jumping up after the snap. His pass rush plan includes powerful chops, club-swims, push-pulls, spins, two-handed bull rushes, and swipe and swim counters. Very few of those moves are polished and productive. He needs to expand his rush plan to be a three-down player at the next level. His spin is his only polished rush move. Phillips uses precise hand placement to access the center’s chest, and his hands display some pop to knock linemen backward. He drops his already naturally low pad level on some bull rushes and knock centers off their feet. Phillips’ play strength is his superpower. He breaks anchors but wins too gradually to apply consistent pressure. Phillips’ bull rush doesn’t always have enough finishing power and sometimes dies out before reaching the quarterback. The redshirt sophomore hasn’t developed counters to break the offensive lineman’s clamp and goes through significant stretches of the game without attempting to swat or swipe at the lineman’s hands. He lacks the agility and rush plan to revive his attack once it fades. Phillips drops his pad level in the run game and pries up the offensive lineman’s pads with a long-arm to win the leverage battle. He flashed several times while resetting the line of scrimmage in 2024, especially against centers. Offensive linemen struggle to disrupt his stout anchor. The Florida native’s wide base and core strength help him contend with double teams. His gap integrity is hit-or-miss. He flows with misdirection too often because of his lack of play recognition and instincts. Phillips’ arm length and size put him at a disadvantage against more physically gifted linemen who out-reach his. He’s still learning to deconstruct blocks and struggles to separate on command. Even when he gets off blocks, his limited pursuit range prevents him from making a play on the ball.
Overall, Phillips’ spin move and raw power jump off the tape, but his lack of elite athletic traits and underdeveloped technical skills make him a multi-year project. Phillips’ block shedding, play/block recognition, and pass rush plan are areas of weakness that he needs to develop. He projects as a two-down lineman.
Role & Scheme Fit: Developmental two-down shade nose tackle in an odd front
Round Grade: Fourth Round
Size: 6'1 5/8", 312 lbs. (NFL Combine)
Submitted: 10-29-24
Updated: 04-12-25