Clark Phillips III NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Utah CB
Dec 30, 2022
Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III (1) watches the play develop during an NCAA football game against Florida on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 in Gainesville, Fla. Florida defeated Utah 29-26. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
HEIGHT: 5'9"
WEIGHT: 184
HAND: 9 1/8"
ARM: 29 1/8"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.51
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: 4.32
VERTICAL: 33"
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Fluid player with loose hips. Shows very good twitch to get out of breaks and drive on receivers. Has the speed and movement skills to run with receivers downfield.
— Shows good instinct in both the run and pass game. Very good vision in zone. Sees the threats in his area and reacts with anticipation.
— Outstanding hands when playing the ball. Shows good tracking of the ball and attacks it with his hands away from his body.
— Can be an elusive and feisty player when taking on blocks.
NEGATIVES
— Lack of size can show up at times. Bigger blockers can latch on and cause a struggle for him to disengage.
— Speed in his backpedal can make him rock back on his heels, causing him to reach and grab.
— Ankle-biter at times when attacking bigger backs.
2022 STATISTICS
— 12 GM, 24 TOT, 2 TFL, 1 SK, 6 INT, 12 PBU
NOTES
— Started 31 games in his career
— Three-year starter
— 2022 Unanimous All-American
— 2021 Second-team All-Pac 12
— Fourth in Utah history in career interception return yards
OVERALL
Clark Phillips III is an active, slightly undersized cornerback position with excellent movement skills. He has shown the ability to play in both man and zone coverage.
When playing man, he can play from press and off coverage. When playing press, he does a good job of mirroring the receiver, allowing him to declare their routes and quickly getting into his hip pocket. From off coverage, Phillips shows good tempo and leverage, showing off his foot quickness and twitch to get out of breaks and drive on the ball.
One of his most impressive attributes is his anticipation and ability to run the routes for receivers. Once out of his backpedal, he does a great job of becoming the receiver and attacking the ball, finishing the play with great hands and ball skills.
In zone, he displays similar traits while using his vision to sink under routes coming in and out of his area. Phillips does a good job carrying routes downfield, although occasionally, he can panic and grab or bump the receiver before the ball arrives.
When playing the run, Clark is an active player who isn't afraid to get into the mix. He does a good job of quickly reacting and setting the edge, often using his quickness to beat receivers, although there are times when he can get stuck on bigger receivers and have difficulty disengaging. He is also fearless when tackling but at times chooses to throw his body at the ball-carrier's feet in an attempt to tackle.
Overall, Clark is an outstanding cover corner who shows versatility at both the outside corner and slot positions. His ball-hawking tendencies make him an elite player and one that will be coveted at the next level. His size may be a question to play out wide, but his movement skills are more than capable of playing from the slot. He can be a Day 1 or early Day 2 selection.
The Utah Utes come into the Rose Bowl as Pac-12 champions for the second straight season. Utah is hoping it avoids the same kind of wide-open Rose Bowl it...
Year 1 of the Lincoln Riley era at USC could result in the Trojans winning their first Pac-12 championship since 2017. And they could still even become the...
Utah Student Arrested for Alleged Threat to Blow Up Nuclear Reactor If SDSU Beat Utes
Sep 22, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 17: Utah Utes running back Tavion Thomas (9) gets tackled during a game between the San Diego State Aztecs and the University of Utah Utes on September 17, 2022 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah (Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A 21-year-old University of Utah
student was arrested Wednesday for allegedly making a threat to blow up a
nuclear reactor on campus if the Utes football team lost Saturday's
game to San Diego State.
KSL's Pat Reavy reported a police
booking affidavit stated the unnamed woman posted the threat on the Yik Yak
app, saying she was "going to detonate the nuclear reactor that
is located in the University of Utah causing a mass destruction" if the team lost.
Police also wrote the woman, who
remains under investigation for allegedly making a threat of terrorism, is
"aware of where the reactor is located and attends class in the
same building where the reactor is housed."
The Utes won the game 35-7.
It's the second time in less than a
month the University of Utah campus was the focus of a violent threat on the Yik Yak app.
A 19-year-old male student was arrested
Aug. 26 for allegedly making a bomb threat against one of the campus
buildings, per Reavy. When questioned, the man stated the post was a "joke and said he had no intent to carry out the threat."
There were two other reported bomb
threats on the Utah campus this year, one in January and another in
May.
The school hasn't released a statement
on Saturday's alleged nuclear threat.
Utah plays a road game Saturday against
Arizona State before returning home to Rice-Eccles
Stadium for an Oct. 1 clash with Oregon State.
Police Investigating 2 Women Who Went Topless at Utah Football Game
Sep 14, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Detail view of NFL footballs on the sideline before the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field on October 20, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo defeats Miami 31-21. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
The police department at the University of Utah is reportedly investigating an incident in which two women were topless when they showed up to Saturday's football game.
According to TMZ Sports, the two women stripped their tops off prior to the Utes' game against Southern Utah and donned only body paint instead.
The university said a female police officer asked them to put their tops back on "a short time later," and they complied. However, police are still looking into the matter to determine if the women should face criminal charges. The women have also been referred to the school's Dean of Students for "other potential discipline," per university officials.
Melea Johnson, a popular YouTuber, posted on Instagram that she was outraged after seeing the two topless women while she was attending the game with her family. Johnson insinuated that the women weren't stopped by security prior to entering the stadium.
"We can't even go to a family-friendly college football game without our kids & family being exposed to nudity??" Johnson wrote. "And the stadium and security for the event won't step in or escort them out because they’re worried they’ll get sued because of discriminatory laws?? ... (that’s what they told me!)"
In the days leading up to the football game, Utah's president and athletics director sent a letter to fans and students stating that inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
Utah (1-1) defeated Southern Utah 73-7 for its first win of the season and will be back in action on Saturday against San Diego State.
NFL Scout: Utah QB Cameron Rising 'Wowed' at Manning Camp'; Compared to Zach Wilson
Jul 19, 2022
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Cameron Rising #7 of the Utah Utes throws a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the third quarter in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising was listed as an under-the-radar prospect for the 2023 NFL draft by multiple scouts, according to ESPN's Matt Miller.
"Dude can spin it and has a toughness to him you love to see," one scout said. "I heard he wowed people at the Manning camp. He could be this year's Zach Wilson."
The 6'2" passer totaled 2,493 yards with 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions last season, although his showing at the Manning Passing Academy might have done even more to help his stock.
"All the hype coming out of Manning was Rising's arm talent and mobility," another scout said. "He's not the biggest guy, but I heard he outperformed a lot of the name quarterbacks there."
The 2023 quarterback class already has significant hype thanks to reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Ohio State star C.J. Stroud. There are also several high-upside options like Miami's Tyler Van Dyke, Florida's Anthony Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis.
Rising wasn't even listed among the top 10 players at the position in the initial big board by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
There are still often first-round picks who seemingly come out of nowhere.
Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett was the only quarterback taken in the first round after throwing 42 touchdowns in 2021, a huge jump after totaling 38 passing touchdowns in the three previous seasons. Wilson went from 11 passing touchdowns in 2019 to 33 in 2020, helping the BYU star become the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.
Joe Burrow made arguably the biggest leap of anyone in recent memory, becoming the first overall pick in 2020 after throwing 60 touchdown passes for LSU on the way to a national title. He threw 16 TDs in 2019.
Rising could be the next in line, following Wilson as a West Coast quarterback who can move up draft board with a big college season.
After reaching the Rose Bowl with Utah last season, the sky is the limit for Rising in 2022.
No. 17 Utah Rolls Past No. 10 Oregon 38-10 to Win 2021 Pac-12 Title
Dec 4, 2021
Utah quarterback Cameron Rising, right, runs the ball under pressure from Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell during the first half of the Pac-12 Conference championship NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)
The No. 17 Utah Utes have won their first Pac-12 football title, defeating the No. 10 Oregon Ducks 38-10 in the conference championship game Friday at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium.
Utah led 23-0 at halftime en route to the 28-point win. Linebacker Devin Lloyd's first-quarter pick-six turned out to be the play of the game, as his 34-yard return for a touchdown gave the Utes a 13-0 edge.
Other Utah defenders got in on the act too. A Malone Mataele interception of Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown led to Utah kicker Jadon Redding knocking home a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Oregon never seriously threatened Utah's lead post-halftime.
The Ducks did start the half off with a field goal, but a 41-yard run by Rising led to a TJ Pledger four-yard plunge to all but seal the game.
Thomas later added a second touchdown to put Utah up 35 points. Oregon running back Travis Dye's two-yard run late in the fourth got the Ducks in the end zone for the first time all evening.
This game marks the second time Utah blew out Oregon in two weeks, as the Utes beat the Ducks 38-7 on Nov. 20. On Saturday, Utah ended up out-gaining Oregon 361-221.
Utah lost the 2018 Pac-12 championship game to Washington and the 2019 matchup to Oregon, but the third time was the charm for the Utes, who accounted for two of the Ducks' three losses this year.
Sure, the scoreboard will show that Oregon scored 10 points, and Utah did have a few turnovers, but the Utes nearly played a perfect game.
They overwhelmed Oregon on both sides of the ball, with the defense making plays and preventing the passing game from going anywhere and the offense doing pretty much whatever it wanted.
A few standout players got Utah this far, although this was a total team effort led by a great game plan from head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff.
With his performance, Thomas now has 20 touchdowns and 1,041 rushing yards on the season. The 6'2", 221-pound bruiser is difficult to bring down, as the Ducks found out the hard way. He had 21 carries for 94 rushing yards and three touchdowns during the regular season against Oregon, giving him 157 yards and five scores in two games against the Ducks.
Awesome to see Tavion Thomas — Dayton Dunbar HS — just running over dudes like he’s been doing.
Lloyd was a sensational, game-wrecking presence once again, as he finished with seven tackles (five solo) and the pick-six.
He also rose his NFL draft stock in the process, and he'll likely be making a lot of plays on Sundays shortly. Jordan Reid of the Draft Network provided his insight post-pick-six:
Now you’re seeing why scouts are so excited about #Utah LB Devin Lloyd. Transitioning from safety to LB, he’s gained over 30 pounds and made tremendous strides in many areas since arriving on campus.
Utah's excellent running and defense helped overcome some issues through the air, as Rising threw a pair of interceptions.
Neither ended up mattering, however, and Rising's running more than made up for it. He also established a good rapport with Kincaid, who likely had some NFL scouts taking notice:
Dalton Kincaid is making himself some coin this evening. Good for him. Cracking player. #Utes
Utah isn't going to the College Football Playoff, but the Utes can at least make a case to be one of the best four teams in the country at this moment. Gabe Ikard of Sirius XM Radio and Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy provided more insight:
Utah’s clearly not making the CFP but I’m not sure there are 4 teams playing better than them right now. This is why CFP expansion will be fun.
If there were an expanded CFP, @Utah_Football is the team nobody would want to play. Kyle Whittingham consistently get the most out of his football teams, which is the true measure of any coach.
The CFP isn't in the team's future, but a standout performance in the Rose Bowl will cap an excellent season for a great Utes squad.
Oregon Lays an Egg
There isn't one, single positive that Oregon can take away from this game. Perhaps one can point to Travis Dye faring well on the ground yet again (15 carries, 82 rushing yards), but those specific stats are empty calories when considering how poorly the Ducks played.
The Ducks' coaching staff had plenty of time to check the tape on Utah from the 38-7 regular-season loss and figure out a better game plan.
Plus, it would figure that the entire team would be fired up to play Utah to get a measure of revenge on the Utes en route to the Rose Bowl.
That did not happen, and the ESPN broadcast team made its opinion known on the matter.
Kirk Herbstreit on #Oregon: "This is an embarrassment, on this big a stage."
Oregon has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, especially on defense.
It features a potential No. 1 overall NFL draft selection in edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, a Jim Thorpe Award finalist in safety Verone McKinley III and a tackling and playmaking machine in linebacker Noah Sewell.
Meanwhile, the running game didn't miss a beat when Dye took over as the starter for the injured CJ Verdell. Credit to a stout offensive line and Dye for keeping that train moving.
The passing game has been the team's weakness this season, as evidenced on Friday, but Brown has also done more than enough on the ground to make up for it on most days.
Therefore, it's confusing to see a team that beat Ohio State in the Horseshoe come out and be completely uncompetitive against Utah twice.
Granted, the Utes are a very good football team, but it's stunning to see them outscore the Ducks 76-17 in two games.
Oregon ultimately has no one to blame but itself. They had too much talent to play like this, and now it's back to the drawing board to figure out what went wrong before the team closes their once-promising season in a bowl game.
What's Next?
Utah is headed to the Rose Bowl and will play the winner of the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday evening between Iowa and Michigan.
Just under two weeks after the Utah Utes dashed the Oregon Ducks' playoff hopes, the programs will meet again Friday with the Pac -12 championship on the line. The Utes won the South Division with just one loss in conference play...
