Jim Mora Jr. On Jaelan Phillips: "I'd Take Him in a Heartbeat"

Jaelan Phillips blew away onlookers at Miami's Pro Day and is likely the biggest wildcard in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jim Mora Jr., his coach when he was at UCLA, explains why he'd bet on Phillips.

Perhaps the biggest wildcard in the NFL Draft this year will be pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, who started his career at UCLA under Jim Mora Jr. and finished at the University of Miami in Coral Gables.

Mora explains why he believes "...any organization that gets the chance to draft Jaelan Phillips just added tremendous value to their locker room and to what happens between the lines on the football field."

He explains that while concussions did play a role in his medical retirement, there were other factors at play. If that's true and teams are content with his health and his desire to be great, the sky is the limit on where he could be drafted.

He is coming off a pretty impressive season where he recorded 20 solo tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks in 10 games. His solo tackles aren't elite in terms of market share, but he does his the mark in both tackles for loss and sacks.

His Pro Day was remarkable as he was excellent across the board.

Height: 6'5 3/4"

Weight: 260 lbs

40-Yard Dash: 4.56

Vertical: 36"

Broad Jump: 10'5"

3-cone: 7.01

Shuttle: 4.13

Bench Press: 21 reps

His physical profile allows for the highest possible outcomes in the NFL. If he ran closer to a 4.7, he'd still have a stellar outlook. His agility and in particular the 3-cone mark is important. Maybe his production limits his upside slightly, but he's still a player with Pro Bowl upside.

So if teams feel good about his health, the Browns likely will never get the chance to select him. However, if they do, will they pull the trigger? Mora's impassioned case for Phillips certainly provides something to think about in terms of what he might offer the team.

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