Jaelan Phillips – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
LB Jaelan Phillips
(Can I ask you about the adjustment to linebacker? What’s been the biggest one from putting your hand in the ground a lot at UM to now standing up a lot?) – “Honestly, I played linebacker all in high school and then my second year at UCLA, I played outside linebacker as well. It’s definitely been an adjustment getting used to it again; but a lot of the terminologies are the same, a lot of the principles are the same. I’m just taking it in stride and trying to get better every day. It’s definitely cool.”
(Is it surreal looking at your college stadium every day at practice?) – “This is gorgeous. I can’t help but be happy just sitting in a meeting room looking out seeing the Hard Rock (Stadium) in the background. It still blows my mind ‘til this day. Like I literally haven’t moved at all. I’m right here.”
(You came here with well-developed pass rush moves. Has your mission with Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark been perfecting the moves you have, adding new ones?) – “You’re definitely always trying to perfect what you have in the arsenal; but obviously trying to learn new things. I’ve been talking to the older guys a lot, trying to trail Emmanuel Ogbah and really just getting as much advice and just watching as much as I can because I know how good they are. I’m definitely trying to improve all aspects of my game, but I’ve got some stuff coming. Don’t worry. (laughter)”
(Are there any pass rushers you’ve studied on tape, either on UM or in recent months?) – “I’ve been obviously a film fanatic for a long time. Even watching old school guys like Lawrence Taylor. I know my coach Robbie Leonard, he’s a Giants guy, so he likes putting on Lawrence Taylor a lot. There are a bunch of great pass rushers in the league and you can definitely pick different parts of their game.”
(It looks to me that at times you’ve been working on dropping back into coverage. That is something you didn’t do a lot of at UM. How has it been getting re-acclimated to that aspect?) – “It’s awesome. I love moving around. I love running. I feel like I’m pretty good at being fluid and being able to move my hips around. That’s something that I’m working on. It’s not new to me, but it’s something that I haven’t done in a few years. It’s all exciting, being able to get back into it and try out different things.”
(There is a lot of talk about the difference between the speed in college and the NFL. Have you noticed the difference in strength when you’re going against some of your teammates?) – “Yeah. Just look out there, you’ll see how big some of these guys are. But I feel like the discrepancy between the best and the worst is a lot smaller in the league. Everybody is really good and that includes our team. You’ve just got to bring your best every day and I’m trying to get bigger too. So hopefully that won’t be an issue.”
(Do you have goals for yourself – like you said, in the weight room or on the field?) – “My goal honestly is I’m trying to be where my feet are. Every single day, I’m looking to improve on the mistakes I made the day before. Tomorrow I’m going to look at this film from today and try to correct the little parts of my game I can work on. I always can improve.”
(Is being a rookie starter a goal?) – “I’m just trying to contribute to the team. I know that sounds vanilla, but I’m a team-first guy. Obviously playing as much as I can is always a goal. But really, the goal right now is doing the best I can at camp and taking it one day at a time.”
(Outside of not having any classes, being in the same city, what else has changed? Did you get a nice new place with the contract? Is life similar to how it was outside of no classes?) – “I got a house, I got a cat and I got my girlfriend. (laughter) I’m just at the crib. I spend a lot more time up north. I was down in Coral Gables before. I like it a lot up here. It’s a lot more open, a lot easier to get around. Life for me has always been to grind and enjoy the fruits of my labor. I’m just enjoying life right now.”
(Are you in Dade or Broward?) – “I’m in Broward. I live in Hollywood.”
(I saw you going against T Austin Jackson today. How’s he helping you come along with your game?) – “I’ve actually known Austin since my senior year in high school. We both played in the Army All-American game together, and he went to USC. It’s been cool to be on the same team as some guys I knew before. But Austin is a stud. Iron sharpens iron. It’s great to be able to go against a guy of his caliber every day. Even on the other side, Jesse (Davis) and the guys inside, they are all super talented. It’s awesome.”
(Have any of the other rookies reached out to you to, like ‘show us where is cool, where should we go, where should we eat?’) – ‘They call me Mr. 305. I’ll tell you that much. (laughter)”
(What UM guys are you keeping the most contact with through texting?) – “I talk to (Nesta) Jade Silvera a lot. I talk to Bubba Bolden. He’s on all of the watch lists and stuff. I’m excited for my guys to have a breakout year. They see me and see what the league life is. They are always texting me, ‘what’s it like, what’s it like, how’s it different?’ I just tell them that they have to wait until they get here. I’m excited to see them play. I’m going to make a friendly wager with Jaylen (Waddle). We’re going to see about that first game. (laughter)”
(Its funny watching some of the preview shows where guys like Daniel Jeremiah were asked who was going to have more sacks as a rookie, you or Gregory Rousseau? Have you guys talked about that? Will you have a chance to make a friendly bet, you and Greg as friends as to who will have more sacks?) – “I’m more concerned about beating them. So we’ll see about that. That’s more bragging right to me. It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun.”
