Dolphins draft Maryland DT Jordan Phillips in Round 5
Dolphins draft Maryland DT Jordan Phillips in Round 5
The Miami Dolphins continued their commitment to the trenches by selecting Maryland defensive tackle Jordan Phillips with the No. 143 overall pick in Round 5 of the 2025 NFL draft.
Phillips weighed in at 6'2, 312 pounds at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. In two seasons with the Terrapins, the lineman recorded 2.5 tackles for loss.
The Dolphins entered the draft with a significant need for defensive linemen following the departures of both Calais Campbell and Da'Shawn Hand in free agency. Left on the roster were starters Zach Sieler and Benito Jones, along with a pair of backups -- Neil Farrell and Matt Dickerson -- who spent much of 2024 on the team's practice squad.
Earlier in the draft, the Dolphins added defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in Round 1 and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea in Round 3. The team still has three more selections in the draft, beginning with the No. 150 overall selection.
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'Yeah, man, we've been talking about it since Chop got here, for real. But it'll be cool to actually get to do it. Also just another year under the belt for our defense under 'Weave,' getting the plays together. I think you'll see things open up a little more, so it will be exciting," Phillips said of that trio of pass rushers. Phillips and Chubb were able to bond and push each other during their respective rehabilitations. 'I think we both played a big role for each other, just in the sense of being there for each other during these times. Obviously, he's someone who's dealt with several injuries in the past, but ACL specific questions I do ask him a lot because he's done three ACLs. I ask him about different things and he'll kind of give me feedback and tell me how I'm looking and stuff. Same thing, it's like some good reassurance that I'm in a good place," Phillips said. 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This is also a season in which a culture shift has been the topic and Phillips chimed in with his thoughts. 'I think the biggest thing for me that I've noticed is that with our defense especially, I can't really speak for the offense all that much, but with our defense, the leaders are leaders because of merit and because of the respect they earn on the field. They're not leaders because of name or because of how much you make or anything like that.' 'So guys like Jordyn Brooks, guys like 'T. Dot' [Tyrel Dodson], guys like Bradley, obviously, Zach Sieler, these are the humblest dudes you know. Come in, first dudes in, last dudes out type of mentality. They earn your respect in that way, which I can appreciate," Phillips said. Heading into his fifth season Phillips is all about progress and on a team full of speed on both sides of the ball, he used a pertinent reference while at the same time putting his peers on notice. 'No drag, so in F1, drag is the force that's resisting forward progress. So if you're dragging as a teammate, then you're being a bad teammate, dragging the team down, so no drag around here. All slipstream around here,' Phillips said. Phillips and the Dolphins will finish minicamp and break until July when training camp will begin at Baptist Health Training Facility. When asked about how he plans on spending that time off, Phillips mentioned he has a getaway planned along with some relaxation with family in California as well as hosting a kid's football camp. However, he seems locked into the program heading into the summer. 'Honestly, I did plenty of relaxing over the last seven months," Phillips said. "I vacationed, I went to Italy. I did all that stuff. So, for me, I'm still in go mode, for sure."
