Tennessee Titans Select UCLA Wide Reciever Kyle Philips in 5th Round of NFL Draft
There are going to be a lot of targets to go around in Nashville this fall, and one Bruin has a chance to earn his fair share.
The Tennessee Titans selected UCLA football wide receiver Kyle Philips with the No. 163 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday. Philips is the fourth Bruin to come off the board, with tight end Greg Dulcich going to the Denver Broncos in the third round at No. 80, offensive lineman Sean Rhyan going to the Green Bay Packers later in the third at No. 92 and defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia going to the Los Angeles Chargers just a few picks earlier than Philips at No. 160.
Philips is the first UCLA wideout to get picked since 2018, when Jordan Lasley went in the fifth round to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 162. The Titans have picked four Bruins in the history of their franchise – most recently linebacker Jayon Brown in 2017 – but never one on the offensive side of the ball.
Arriving in Westwood from San Marcos High School (CA) a few months after Lasley left the program, Philips redshirted his freshman year. Philips became the Bruins' No. 1 receiver in 2019, racking up 681 yards and five touchdowns on 60 catches in addition to a punt return touchdown.
Philips continued to solidify his place among the conference's top pass catchers in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, recording 370 yards and two touchdowns on 38 catches en route to an All-Pac-12 honorable mention. In 2021, Philips ascended to the All-Pac-12 First Team by going for 739 yards and 10 touchdowns on 59 grabs, plus another punt return score.
The receiver worked his way up to No. 4 on UCLA's all-time receptions list with 163, No. 8 on the touchdowns list with 17 and No. 17 on the receiving yards list with 1,790 yards. After one of the most productive careers in program history, Philips showed out at the East-West Shring Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine
Philips measured in at 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds and ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, and while he hurt his shoulder at the end of the individual workouts, he was back at full health in time for UCLA's pro day in mid-March.
The Titans traded Pro Bowl receiver AJ Brown for the 18th pick Thursday night, which they used to select Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks. After adding Auburn cornerback Roger McCeary in the second round, their following five selections were all used on offensive players – Ohio State offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, Michigan running back Hassan Haskins, Maryland tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and Philips.
With Philips and Burks filling in for Brown and future Hall of Fame free agent Julio Jones, they will also line up alongside free agent additions Robert Woods and Austin Hooper to catch passes from veteran Ryan Tennehill. Burks and Philips are both slot receivers first, but with Burks having more dynamism positionally, Philips should be able to slide in there when the first rounder moves around the field.
And with All-Pro running back Derrick Henry being the focal point of Tennessee's offense, Philips is also a plus-blocker for someone his size. Wide receiver Chester Rogers returned 30 punts for the Titans in 2021, but he is still a free agent, leaving the door open for Philips to fill that role for his new team as well.
Philips was the 23rd receiver to hear his name called and the second out of the Pac-12 after USC's Drake London went to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round.
READ ALL BRUINS' NFL DRAFT PROFILE ON KYLE PHILIPS
Defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia and safety Quentin Lake are the next UCLA prospects projected to get drafted, with safety Qwuantrezz Knight, running back Brittain Brown and offensive tackle Alec Anderson also on the board.
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