2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Maryland DT Jordan Phillips

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Maryland DT Jordan Phillips.

#8 JORDAN PHILLIPS/DT MARYLAND – 6012, 318 POUNDS. (RS SOPHOMORE)

MEASUREMENTS:

THE GOOD

– Wrestling background is evident in his ability to win leverage battles consistently
– Can play with low pad level to utilize strength
– Great twitchiness, first-step explosion, and agility for a 320-pound DL
– Good lateral ability to chase down the line and shed blocks
– He effectively sinks his hips to hold his ground against double teams
– Heavy and violent hands despite lack of length
– Powerful bull rush can overwhelm centers and guards
– Has a nice spin move that he’s been working on
– Nice balance to stay on his feet despite aggressive battles in the trenches
– Dominates with upper and lower body power
– High ceiling at just 20 years old
– Already equipped with the basic tools that DL coaches dream of molding

THE BAD

– Lack of production leads to questions of pass rush skillset being limited
– Struggles to get off blocks consistently
– Doesn’t have great length to disengage from guys if they make first contact
– Needs to work on pass rush techniques, as he mostly wins with power and leverage
– Hand counters are rarely seen from him
– Stretch running plays can show him being washed out by interior OL
– Must stay on his feet and not hop out of his stance at times
– Processing plays are consistently a tick late
– Very limited moves in his pass rush plan
– Knowledge and experience in understanding how to play zone-based running schemes better 

BIO:

– 20 years of age out of Ocoee, FL
– 1,045 total snaps (509 A Gap, 452 B Gap, 79 over tackle, 3 outside the tackle)
– 174 special teams snaps (82 FG kick, 80 FG block, 12 punt return)
– Appeared in 28 games with 23 starts in 2 years at Maryland and 1 year at Tennessee University
– Career: 58 tackles (31 solo), 3 TFLs, 0 sacks, 0 INTs, 0 PDs, 2 missed tackles, 31 run stops, 2 penalties, 0 forced fumbles, and recoveries
– 2024-25 season: 29 tackles (17 solo), 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 INTs, 0 PDs, 2 missed tackles, 20 run stops, 1 penalty, 0 forced fumbles, and recoveries
– 2025 Shrine Bowl Pat Tillman Award and West All-Practice Team
– 2024 Named to Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List
– 2024 All Big-Ten Preseason Team
– 2022 transferred from Tennessee to Maryland University
– 2021 3-star prospect by 247 Sports in HS
– 56 tackles, 29 TFLs, and 11.5 sacks in his senior year
– Qualified for state weightlifting meet in three different lifts (bench, squat, clean-and-jerk)
– State-ranked wrestler as a senior and junior

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Jordan Phillips immediately impacted at Maryland, quickly earning a starting role and turning heads with his raw power and movement skills. At just 20 years old, he already possesses an NFL-ready frame and exceptional athleticism, which earned him the #51 spot on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freak List.” His background as a high school wrestler and weightlifter is evident in his ability to win with leverage, balance, and brute strength in the trenches. Despite limited production in college, his tape is filled with impactful moments and flashes of dominance. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley didn’t hold back in his praise, drawing a lofty comparison to current Washington Commanders lineman Daron Payne. Teammates have also noticed, with fellow defensive lineman Taizse Johnson praising Phillips’ leadership and relentless work ethic, even though he is just a sophomore.

Phillips is strong at the point of attack. His strength is one big reason he succeeded at nose tackle in college. He appears to have a densely built, strong body and knows how to win the leverage battle in trenches. Watch him anchor against a double team by getting extremely low to hold and stand guys from the ground up, even if he’s practically falling.

Despite his ability to reset the line of scrimmage and get a good jump off the ball, this is not a player who has gotten around linemen in college, crashing into any passing pockets and pursuing the quarterback, at least not yet in his development. You can see evidence of the up-and-down nature of his pass-rushing repertoire at the Shrine Bowl.

Phillips is #8 for Maryland in all of the following clips:

Phillips can play in a two-gap system and hog up the A-gap for opposing running backs. He’ll hold his gaps well and showed his ability to play the 0-1i or 3-tech spots because of his athletic tools.  Phillips isn’t a guy who will wow you with any pass-rushing moves or techniques to deconstruct a block. His wins come more from get-off and power with full extension rather than breaking down blocks. He must develop this area to get more playing time at the next level. He can develop better techniques and strategies with time and coaching. I noticed that he will, at times during games, “hop” out of his stance where his feet come off the ground. He’ll have to discontinue doing this in the NFL, or he’s apt to get thrown off balance quickly by bigger interior linemen.

As a tackler, he wraps up well, but it’s worth noting that he lacks some flexibility and tightness in his upper body, which could make things difficult for him in the pros. As of right now, his tackling is how it should be. He plays with strong, heavy hands that are powerful and violent at the point of attack. He frequently gets full extension on his blockers and can use his hands to help out-leverage opposing linemen. Phillips’ power is what will write the checks for him.

If he can rush the opposing quarterback and collapse the pocket at the next level, it will come from his power in the early stages of his development. He’s very raw regarding pass-rushing moves and has the required skills to break down a block. He has the footwork to develop, but the technique and fundamentals just aren’t there consistently.

Phillips’s strong combination of power and quickness allows him to maneuver a football field much more efficiently and quickly than most defensive tackles.

His get-off-the-ball and explosion out of his stance are likely the best in this class and will be problematic for linemen in the pros. He has a very stout anchor who can frequently out-leverage players and rarely gets pushed around. Any player who can push this guy around is a player you want on your team. He can move well and make plays along the sideline and on outside zone runs. He is athletic but not fast and gives a good effort until the final whistle.

CONCLUSION

Jordan Phillips is that tantalizing prospect who’s young, has a lot of physical traits and tools that are easy to get excited about the potential, gives you that wrestling background to wage war on the interior, but could also struggle with his limited length and pass rushing ability if he doesn’t develop in this area substantially. He has plenty of strength, twitchiness, and leverage to win more times than not on a defensive line, but there are pass-rush tools he needs to develop to get the most out of his skill set. He’s a guy who could play on an even or odd front because of his versatility in playing in the A or B gap and winning in different ways.

Alim McNeill is a guy who he is built and plays like. He’s a good athlete and should test well at the NFL combine, but he is still pretty raw from a technique standpoint. Phillips could come in and be a rotational defensive lineman to begin, learn a lot, and eventually become a starter. Pittsburgh could be a team interested in him in the pre-draft process because he’s a guy with a lot of upside, is still really young, strong at the point of attack, and definitely needs some coaching and time to develop.

Projection: Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – 3rd Round (Potential Starter/Good Backup)
Games Watched: at Oregon (2024), at Penn State (2024), at Ohio State (2023), vs. Michigan (2023)