A state champion triple-jumper in high school, Phillips (5’106/190) followed in his linebacker father Carlos’ footsteps by attending Kentucky. He didn’t see much of the field during his first two autumns in Lexington, but that changed in 2022 when he played 257-of-363 reps in the box/slot and allowed completions on 15-of-32 targets for just 120 yards on the year. This season he played 426-of-710 snaps outside, with 223 reps coming from the slot. He struggled giving up completions on 39-of-58 targets for 438 yards and a four-to-zero TD/INT ratio, resulting in five PBU with a passable 72nd percentile PFF defensive grade. He struggled bringing down ball carriers by producing a 23% missed tackle rate despite 24 stops in run support. Phillips earned a Senior Bowl invite before running a solid 4.48s 40-yard dash (76th%) and 6.98s three-Cone (63rd%). He showed out in the jumping tests with 99th percentile marks in the vertical (42”) and broad (11’03’) for an 8.13 Relative Athletic Score. A tenacious competitor who brings a physicality to his game, Phillips has one season of full-time starting reps and extensive slot experience.