Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
The Las Vegas Raiders have less than a month to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft, and while the team has been busy in free agency, there is the possibility they can draft an elite cornerback in the first two rounds of the draft.
Offenses in the NFL are getting faster and more complex, which gives the Raiders a reason to add speed in the secondary.
“The defenses are different. There's definitely more complex, I'd say, defensive schematic game at the NFL level. And so, again, that goes just into someone's ability to learn, someone's work ethic, and did they have the tools both from a personal and a mental skill set to put the work in to learn it,” Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler said during the NFL Combine.
Fortunately, the Raiders can draft one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
Cornerback Clark Phillips III, Utah Utes
“Diminutive but stalky stature. Plays bigger than his measurables, relying on competitive toughness and bouncy athleticism. Mainly aligned to the boundary, occasionally in the slot. Team has no problem leaving him on an island,” NFL Draft Bible said of Phillips III.
Regarding his skill set and size, Phillips receives a first-round grade with recognition of being one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft, but will most likely fall to day two of the draft due to his size and frame.
At 5-9 and 183 pounds, scouts worry about his measurables and blocking ability against bigger receivers.
“Fluid hips and sudden feet. Speed turns effortlessly, mirroring the stem of the receiver. Quickness and juiced feet make reactionary movements on double moves second nature,” NFL Draft Bible added on Phillips III.
Yet, the tape shows he didn’t have much of a problem at the college level and was one of the top defensive backs in college football last season.
The 2022 Unanimous All-American, AP Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and Pac-12 All-Conference First Team selection had another shutdown season, helping the Utes reach the Rose Bowl for the second-consecutive season.
An experienced three-year starter in every game he played in his career (31), and last season, Phillips III recorded 24 tackles (16 solos), two tackles for losses, and one sack, adding 12 pass deflections and six interceptions (two pick-sixes), tied for the most among Power Five.
As for the Raiders, drafting a tough, physical cornerback with elite technicality on day two would be the biggest steal. A player with his versatility and skill set can rotate across the entire secondary and help the Raiders' defense improve immediately.
The NFL Draft will occur at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., from Thursday, April 27 to April 29. ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network will broadcast all seven rounds.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period began at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this offseason.
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