Getty The Rams celebrate a Jalen Ramsey interception on December 25, 2022 in Inglewood.
If significant changes occur in the cornerback room, the Los Angeles Rams may be tasked with grabbing a corner first in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After all, there’s the Jalen Ramsey trade rumblings and two more veterans set to become unrestricted free agents in Troy Hill and David Long.
Draft expert Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic wrote down this idea for the Rams: They grab Clark Phillips III out of Utah at No. 36 overall, writing his suggestion down on Monday, January 30.
Phillips III not only would stay out west if taken by the Rams, but the No. 6 ranked cornerback from the 2020 class by 247Sports starred at nearby La Habra High in the L.A. region — which would give him a Southern California homecoming. And Phillips III can give the Rams a “certified ball hawk” as described by Rams Wire on USA Today Wednesday, February 1.
“Baumgardner goes against the grain by picking someone other than a pass rusher for the Rams. Phillips is only 5-foot-10 and isn’t overly physical on the outside, but he’s a certified ball hawk,” Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire wrote. “He had nine picks in 31 games, returning four of them for touchdowns.”
And, “With David Long Jr. and Troy Hill hitting free agency, the Rams will be on the hunt for cornerback help.”
Phillips Earned Comparisons to Past L.A. NFL Star in High School
Phillips III delivered a stellar career with the Utes that included All-Conference honors and two straight Rose Bowl appearances, all while also helping elevate the Utes to the top of the Pac-12.
But in high school, 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Greg Biggins compared Phillips’ game at cornerback with one past L.A. NFL standout: Casey Heyward, who spent four seasons with the Chargers. Biggins also wrote down how Phillips “Projects as an impact, upper-tier Power 5 starter and future high-round NFL draft pick” while predicting a second or third round draft projection.
Now, the Utes standout is heading to day two status in what is expected to be a deep CB class for the draft. Two notable corners once ranked ahead of him in his graduating class are also expected to be high picks: Kelee Ringo of Georgia and Eli Ricks of Alabama.
Phillips Would be Feistier Version of 2022 Rams Rookie
Phillips already has similar size to this past season’s top rookie performer Cobie Durant, who wound up as the top ball hawk of the Rams defense with his team high three interceptions.
Phillips, though, would add a scrapper side to the CB room if added on by the Rams. He showed to be an instinctive defender with strong eyes in locating the football and having a strong twitch in reacting to where the play was headed. He proved in the Power 5 realm that he can play zone and man coverage at a high level while facing future NFL wide receivers.
But his best trait is when he ends up becoming the wide receiver for the football. He ends up wanting the ball more and shows his attack mode toward the ball then displaying his own soft wide receiver hands. He’s also a 31-game starter and played in conference title and New Years Six bowl games — which shows he found a way to play on a marquee stage before his NFL career takes off.
Phillips is one of the more NFL-ready CBs for this class. This “certified ball hawk” could be needed if cornerback is suddenly a need.