FRISCO, Texas – Maryland DT Jordan Phillips is a freak of nature. It’s hard to find another word to describe the hulking 6’3, 320-pound nose tackle who made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List ahead of the season after squatting 665 pounds and power-cleaning 365 pounds. His strength and athleticism led his head coach at Maryland, Mike Locksley, to compare him to Da’Ron Payne. During an interview with Steelers Depot at the Hyatt Regency ahead of the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, Phillips lit up when discussing Payne, the star Washington Commanders defensive tackle.
“I love Da’Ron Payne. Everything from his physicality to the way he rushes the quarterback,” Phillips said. “I watched him when he played back in Alabama. He’s just an amazing player and I was honored to be compared to definitely one of the best in the league.”
Phillips was a star wrestler in high school, something that’s notable given the Steelers have selected multiple players with a wrestling background in recent drafts. C Zach Frazier, DT Keeanu Benton, OL Kendrick Green and LB Payton Wilson all wrestled before being selected by the Steelers, and Phillips explained how wrestling has helped him become a better football player.
“I’ll say leverage and just certain points on the body that controls. If you grab the weight, if you grab an elbow, you control a man’s body by just grabbing the joint, the elbow. And just understanding leverage. Wrestling has just done a phenomenal job with just teaching me those little things and just mastering those little things and implementing them into my game.”
Football is something that means a lot to Phillips. Before the 2024 season, in a meeting with Locksley, Phillips said he would die if it meant that his team and coach could meet their goals, per the Maryland Athletics website. He said he stands by what he said and that he’s thinking about his team in everything he does.
“This game means so much to me. Everything I do, I always try to think about my coaches and my teammates,” Phillips said. “Just representing the program the right way because that’s how it’s supposed to be done. I really did mean that. I love the game of football, the competitive nature and I love going to war for my teammates.”
Phillips’ work ethic was praised by his coaches and teammates throughout the season, and he would work late to train and work out with the program’s walk-ons. Phillips said as a leader, he wants to help everybody get better and make sure everyone’s mindset is that of constant improvement.
“If you’re a guy who just wants to get better, and even if your mindset isn’t wanting to get better yet, I’m gonna try to pull you in and just try to help you and teach you how to do things the right way,” he said. “Because ultimately, everybody needs help and everybody needs somebody who they can call a mentor. Ultimately, I’m trying to do what the mentors in my life have done for me. Just help guys understand and reach their full potential.”
Phillips pointed to Mike Locksley, Maryland defensive coordinator Brian Williams and his mom, as well as his high school head coach and his trainer Clyde Williams as some of the mentors in his life.
A transfer from Tennessee, Phillips was recruited by Maryland out of high school and said the program showed even more enthusiasm recruiting him when he entered the transfer portal. A lot of the coaches who recruited him out of high school got promoted by the time he hit the portal. He felt that seeing the coaches who wanted him initially advance in their careers made him feel like he could advance and elevate his career with the Terrapins. He believed in what Locksley and the program were trying to achieve.
Phillips said that playing for the Steelers is an opportunity he would “fully embody” but stressed it would be an honor to play anywhere.
“It would be an amazing opportunity that I would fully embody,” he said. “I would love to be a part of any organization with great defensive linemen, great coaches. A lot of organizations are like that, so that would be amazing.”
Outside of Payne, some of the players that Phillips said he watches the most are former Steelers DT Javon Hargrave, New York Giants DT Dexter Lawrence, Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson, as well as Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones and Buffalo Bills DT Jordan Phillips, who he happens to share a name with.
The Steelers are likely going to target a defensive lineman at some point in the draft, and Phillips has a lot of the traits the Steelers look for. He’s freakishly athletic inside and he generates a ton of power from his hands. Along with his wrestling background, he was also a power lifter in high school. For as good as he has looked on the field, it’s his traits and leadership off the field that could really make him an attractive prospect to Pittsburgh.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Phillips was one of the standouts this week with practice beginning on Saturday. He’s a player that the Steelers should be watching closely over the next few months.
