Broncos Have Meeting With Oklahoma DT Jordan Phillips
When the Denver Broncos let Terrance Knighton leave in free agency, they lost a massive piece of their defense, to be quite literal.
Replacing Knighton is not going to be easy, but there are plenty of options in the draft, and one of those is Oklahoma Sooners star defensive lineman Jordan Phillips, who has apparently been in Denver to visit the team.
For the Broncos, Phillips would probably have to be available in the first or second round, or possibly available in a trade up in the 2nd round. There’s a chance they could take him in the first round, but Phillips has dropped off of a lot of first round boards due to consistency and injury concerns.
The fact of the matter is, Phillips is a capable nose tackle prospect with the requisite size, athleticism, and production to warrant a late-first round selection if the Broncos see fit. He earned positive marks and even a Terrance Knighton comparison from NFL.com evaluator Lance Zierlein:
“Nose tackle with desired height, weight and speed. Flashes talent necessary to project a ceiling as a dominant run stuffer best suited for a 3-4 defense. Phillips’ ability to eat up blocks should help him earn a high grade, but it’s his potential as a big athlete with above-average range for the position that could turn him into a Pro Bowl nose.”
If the Broncos view him as a potential Pro Bowl player like Zierlein, then he has to be under consideration for that first round pick.
Our Tylor Walden already took a more in-depth look at why Phillips would be a good fit for the Broncos in this year’s draft, and you can check out that full scouting report here.
There’s a lot to like about this guy’s game, and having him come in for a pre-draft visit shows the Broncos are interested in knowing more about his medical history as well as just getting to know him better in general. This could be an intriguing fit.