Why the Miami Dolphins Absolutely Must Draft Jordan Phillips

For the Miami Dolphins to capitalize on having the No. 14 overall pick in the NFL draft, identifying the best possible talent to fit the needs of the roster is critical. To prevent another defensive collapse in 2015 like what happened in the last eight games of the 2014 season, the Dolphins need to add an impact player to the front seven.

Despite a strong start to the 2014 season for the defense, Miami ended up allowing an average of 121 yards per game on the ground, which is 24th in the NFL. To prevent this from occurring again, the biggest area of need for the Dolphins must be addressed.

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Miami is lacking a dominant defensive tackle who can be a disruptive force on pass plays but also command double-teams in run defense. Having a star tackle has excellent value for a defense because of how much the player creates for others in addition to himself.

Enter Jordan Phillips from Oklahoma. The 6’6”, 335-pound tackle is a tremendous athlete on the interior defense. He’s known for completing a standing backflip, which is insane for a man his size.

According to Jake Trotter of ESPN.com, Phillips’ natural athleticism drew the praise of teammates as well.

“He’s the only 300-pound guy I’ve ever seen do a standing backflip in his pads,” said fellow defensive tackle Jamarkus McFarland. “And he can dunk with two hands, which is amazing.”

Why does Miami need Phillips?

Miami made a tough decision last summer by keeping Randy Starks over Paul Soliai. By re-signing Starks, the coaches committed to having three defensive tackles who played the 3-technique, and none are big enough to be the nose tackle.

Miami’s risk did not pay off, as Starks struggled to be the run defender whom the team became desperate for. Releasing Starks would save $5 million, according to Over The Cap, which would be enough for financial flexibility moving forward, and a rookie is cheap labor to replace him with.

Starks has been a big contributor for the Dolphins throughout his Dolphins career, including a breakout 2013 season. Unfortunately, he could be a victim of the numbers game, where he does not compare well to Jared Odrick and Earl Mitchell because he’s older and expensive.

If Miami can get its hands on Phillips, it’ll not only have the athletic freak whom it sorely needs for future development but also an impact guy on Day 1. Phillips is the perfect nose tackle, as he plays over the center or in the A-gap quite often, and his quickness and hands are major assets.

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Phillips is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season for the Sooners, forcing seven tackles for loss and two sacks. His numbers aren’t overly impressive, but he has the mindset to help the team however possible and is willing to work to improve.

His first season resulted in All-Big 12 Second-Team honors, and he showed growth every week. Against Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl, Phillips had a career-high seven tackles. If he can improve enough from backup to All-Big 12 in one season, just imagine what will happen with NFL coaching and training.

If Phillips is on the board when the Dolphins are on the clock, they must be willing to make a pick that won’t necessary be called flashy. Miami needs to build a better roster, and a top-quality defensive tackle is a major step in that process.