Miami Dolphins rookies: What each will struggle with in 2021
By Brian Miller
Miami Dolphins rookie Jaelan Phillips has a lot of potential and was heralded as one of the best pass-rushing defensive end/linebackers in this past April’s draft.
He has the speed off the edge and the physicality to take on blockers at the point of contact.
Size isn’t a problem for Phillips. He has a great frame and a lot of muscle but his biggest issue will be finding more ways to shed blocks. Phillips doesn’t have a multitude of moves coming off the line of scrimmage and may be better off being used as a linebacker. His first move is fluid but he needs to get better with technique and will be facing some top left tackles in the NFL.
His concussion history has some worried and he will need to do better with his tackling. This will be on the coaching staff to improve his technique and the way he drives through ball carriers. His biggest issue, however, will be how he handles the tackles at the point of contact. While he has great speed off the edge, he can get tangled up. NFL.com analyst, Lance Zierlein, states it perfectly.
- Needs better command with his hands as a rusher.
- Fails to stack moves to stay ahead of pass blockers.
This will be something that Flores and his staff will need to work on.