Just three picks into their 2025 draft class, the Dolphins added over 1,000 pounds of football players. Jordan Phillips, the 320-pound defensive tackle from Maryland, heard his name called in the fifth round by Miami, number 143 overall.
Culture setter
At just 20 years of age, Jordan Phillips is mature beyond his years. A two-year starter at Maryland, he was looked to for his leadership and guidance by teammates and coaches alike.
"He has pulled guys along with them that didn't always do things the right way," Maryland Head Coach Mike Locksley said. "Now they're following him. That's where player-led comes into play."
"Coach Locksley always said, if you make it about the team, everybody benefits," said Maryland teammate Samuel Adu. "If you make it about yourself only you benefit. If everyone wins, the team wins. I feel like Jordan embodied that. It just goes to show selflessness and shows that the team is in his focus. That's the kind of guy Jordan is."
Phillips also won the Pat Tillman Award at the 2025 Shrine Bowl. The award annually recognizes a player who embodies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service, recognizing their impact on and off the field.
Multi-sport background and rare movement skills
A high school wrestler who dabbled in basketball and on the swim and dive team as a youth, Phillips' diverse sports background helped him cultivate unique skills. He's twitchy off the snap against both the run and the pass. From there, he enacts that grappling strength he perfected on the mats to impact offensive linemen with his hands.
He also has a well-developed arsenal of pass rush moves, including a wicked spin that can often leave opposing blockers lunging out over their skis. His hands are violent and heavy, and when he strikes his opponent, they feel him. His ability to reset the line of scrimmage, or win with quickness, is his calling card as a pro.
He tested in the 80th percentile or better in his vertical jump (31 inches), bench press reps of 225 pounds (29 reps) and weight (312 pounds) among all defensive tackles at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Positional flexibility
Phillips played the majority of his snaps on the nose at Maryland (lined up over the offensive center), but he's got the chops to kick out to the three technique (over a guard) or all the way out to the five (off the tackle).
Regardless of where he played, he was productive. He totaled 20 run stops last season with a 16.7 percent pressure rate when rushing the quarterback. He logged over 1,000 snaps in his career at Maryland and produced 26 total quarterback pressures.
For more on Jordan Phillips, and the rest of the Dolphins 2025 draft class, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield.
