The Miami Dolphins are well on their way to locking in their 2021 NFL draft class and today are welcoming another formalized signing into the fray. Miami, which quickly agreed to deals with approximately half of their rookies in the immediate aftermath of April’s draft, has added 1st-round draft choice Jaelan Phillips to the list of new Miami Dolphins to have his rookie contract finalized. The news broke today that Phillips has signed.
.@JJPhillips15 makes it official!#FinsUp pic.twitter.com/mu4E8IKJrb
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) June 9, 2021
Expectations for Phillips will be high. As the team’s top defensive prospect in this year’s class, Phillips will be looked to as a source of constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The biggest debate? Where he’s going to be lining up. The Dolphins are listing Phillips as a linebacker, but that will likely be a formality that doesn’t influence their usage of the No. 18 overall pick on the actual field when it is all said and done.
Phillips is here for one primary reason in Miami: generate heat on the opposing quarterback. Whether that comes from a 3-point stance or a 2-point stance is circumstantial. The good news for the Dolphins is that in their hunt for upgrading their pass rush unit, they stumbled onto the consensus top pass rusher from this year’s class.
And now, with a contract signed and delivered, Phillips can resume putting his attention towards how to beat the upcoming pass blockers on the schedule and not have to worry about the fine print of a rookie contract.
