Utah Utes cornerback Clark Phillips III (1) glides into the tip zone for a landing after intercepting a go as Utah and Oregon State play at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Utah’s Braeden Daniels participates within the faculty’s NFL professional day on the College of Utah follow facility on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
A pair of Utah gamers had been chosen within the fourth spherical of the NFL draft Saturday.
Cornerback Clark Phillips III was picked No. 113 total by the Atlanta Falcons whereas offensive lineman Braeden Daniels was taken No. 118 total by the Washington Commanders.
Dalton Kincaid was the primary Utah participant off the board Thursday, when he was a first-round choose, No. 25 total, of the Buffalo Payments.
As a result of Phillips was extensively considered a top-100 choose, the Falcons might have gotten a steal. Atlanta has wants within the defensive backfield and Phillips could possibly be a possible beginning nickel again.
Coming into the draft, there have been issues about Phillips’ dimension (5-foot-9, 184 kilos). And this was a deep cornerback class.
“Phillips will garner a job within the NFL due to his athletic traits,” in response to Sports activities Illustrated’s Draft Bible. “He should show that he's secure sufficient towards larger receivers to realize the label of a real exterior nook. If not, a job within the slot is warranted due to his soccer intelligence and jitterbug motion expertise.”
Phillips, a two-time All-Pac-12 choice, began all 31 video games throughout his Utah profession. He had 9 interceptions, together with 4 pick-sixes, which tied a college document. He ranks No. 4 all-time in profession interception return yards with 232.
Final season, Phillips earned Utah’s fourth unanimous All-American and he was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. He was additionally named the AP Pac-12 Defensive Participant of the Yr.
Within the coach Kyle Whittingham period, Phillips turns into the fifteenth defensive again from Utah chosen within the draft. He’s additionally the second Ute to be taken by Atlanta in draft historical past.
Utah cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah mentioned earlier than the draft that Phillips is a first-round expertise, including that no matter NFL takes Phillips shall be getting a participant with excessive worth in lots of areas.
“Similar to we had been, some crew goes to be like, ‘Wow, he makes your crew higher.’ He'll make not solely the cornerbacks room higher, the safeties room higher, he makes the entire crew higher. Individuals like staff,” Shah mentioned. “Individuals love people who present up daily, don’t complain, and simply work.
“You speak about management — he was the consummate chief. It took him time to grow to be that chief. However when he lastly mentioned, ‘I'm a frontrunner’ and he seen himself in that method, we grew to become a greater unit. I imagine that would be the identical factor that may occur to him on the subsequent degree.”
Daniels is Utah’s tenth offensive lineman drafted within the Whittingham period. Daniels additionally earned the excellence of being the very best drafted Utah offensive lineman since 2017 (Garett Bolles, twentieth total). He’s the ninth Ute taken by Washington in draft historical past.
The 6-4, 294-pounder from Carrollton, Texas joins the Commanders’ offensive line with the flexibility to play a number of positions. His versatility is considered one of his finest attributes.
Whereas Daniels is listed as a guard, the Commanders introduced him as a sort out. Daniels may play heart on the subsequent degree, though Washington drafted Arkansas heart Ricky Stromberg within the third spherical.
Utah’s Braeden Daniels participates within the faculty’s NFL professional day on the College of Utah follow facility on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
Utah offensive line coach Jim Harding mentioned Daniels has what it takes to achieve the NFL.
“The factor that jumps out is what he did on the mix. He completed within the prime 10 in nearly each testing class. When groups sit down with him and put him on a board or make him watch movie, I feel they’ll see a man that has super soccer IQ. A man that’s versatile,” he mentioned. “A man that loves soccer. You may coach him arduous. He transitions to the NFL very positively.
“I’m excited to see what occurs for him within the draft. I've nothing however nice issues to say about him,” he continued. “Any NFL crew that asks about him, that’s my opinion, I say the identical factor. He’s obtained a whole lot of flexibility. One factor you don’t see on movie till you discuss to him is, he’s obtained a excessive ardour for soccer and he’s a particularly good child.”
Daniels performed in 49 video games at Utah, beginning 43 between left guard (18), left sort out (14) and proper sort out (11). The 2-time All-Pac-12 choice earned first-team honors in 2022.
Final season, he began all 14 video games at left sort out, serving to the Utes to 217.6 dashing yards per recreation and Utah’s O-line gave up only one.07 sacks per recreation.