The Tennessee Titans made their second addition to the receiving corps. in the 2022 NFL draft when they selected UCLA wide receiver, Kyle Philips.
Philips was a pick we liked, as he’s a polished route-runner who can work out of the slot, and he has the potential to contribute right away.
But don’t take our word for it; former wide receiver and current NFL Network analyst, Steve Smith, heaped praise on Philips and called the UCLA product his favorite wide receiver pick of the middle rounds.
“A guy I have is Kyle Philips out of UCLA,” Smith revealed. “I don’t know if you know, but he is fresh out of medical school because he’s doing surgery on DBs. That young man has a PhD in route-running. He can play in the slot… And I just believe with what they have already, he can go to work. They fill a void; he’s not a big guy — he’s 5’11 — he’s not a real fast guy — he’s 4.5 — but he’s a route technician, and you know what that spells? Trouble. They already have a running game, so the play action with a PhD in route-running, I can see this young man making an impact immediately, and also obviously playing on special teams as well.”
Smith sees it, but did experts feel the same way about Philips going into the 2022 NFL draft? Find out now as we look at pre-draft scouting reports.
Positional rank: 18
STRENGTHS: Athletic footwork to win at the line of scrimmage and at the top of routes … creates pockets of separation to operate … has the short-area shake to cross the defender’s face and attack the middle of the field … natural body control to flip his hips and adjust to off-target throws … trained eyes after the catch to create and maximize his touches … deceiving body strength to wriggle out of the grasp after the catch … checks boxes for toughness and competitive nature … impressive punt-return skills, and averaged 19.8 yards per return in his career with a pair of touchdowns (25/496/2) … only Pac-12 player with double-digit touchdown catches in 2021 … led team in receptions each of the past three seasons.
WEAKNESSES: Undersized frame with below-average bulk and length … smaller catch radius lowers quarterback’s margin of error … small hands, and will look to run before securing, leading to focus drops … below average in contested situations, and doesn’t play bigger than he is on paper … sudden feet, but often takes too many steps, creating extra motion in his breaks … plays quick, but his top-end speed is average … can be removed from his route path by subtle contact … unproven as a deep-ball tracker (only three of his catches in 2021 came when he was targeted 20-plus yards downfield) … slot-only in college.
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at UCLA, Philips lined up exclusively in the slot in head coach Chip Kelly’s offense. The first Bruins pass catcher to lead the team in catches three consecutive years in almost two decades, he finished fourth in UCLA history with 163 career receptions. With his shifty feet and throttle control, Philips can give defenders the slip and intuitively create passing windows for his quarterback. However, he has a small catch radius, and his effectiveness drops the further downfield he goes (70 percent of his 2021 catches came on targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage). Overall, Philips is role-specific as an undersized, quicker-than-fast, slot-only target, but he has the ready-made skills to be productive in that role in the NFL. His punt-return ability only boosts his draft grade.
GRADE: 4th Round
UCLA’s Kyle Philips is an ultra-productive receiver from the Bruins who predominantly lines up in the slot. Philips came to the Bruins as a 4-star receiver and made an immediate impact early in his career before developing into one of the most consistent pass-catchers in the country. Philips has good overall size for a receiver being listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds.
While his size likely would be an issue if he was projected as an outside receiver, he is actually above average for the slot. Philips displays good speed and excellent quickness. He is an outstanding route-runner who is sudden and decisive at the top of his routes. He is a savvy route-runner who understands leverage and how to set up defenders with hand and body fakes. He has shown an ability to win at all three levels of the field but does his best work over the middle on intermediate routes and underneath concepts.
Philips is as reliable as they come and offers outstanding hands and ball skills. He did his best work on third down and in the red zone, illustrating his competitive spirit on got-to-have-it downs. He is slippery after the catch and also is an outstanding punt returner. He is a good blocker in the run game as well. Overall, while Philips may lack true game-breaking speed, size, and strength, he does everything you would want your slot receiver to do at a high level and his consistency is off the charts. He is the type of player every offense can use and projects as an instant contributor in the slot and on special teams at the next level.
Ideal Role: Starting slot receiver with special teams value.
Scheme Fit: Spread.
Overview
Slot receiver with limited range but above-average potential as a punt-return option. Philips has the foot quickness to elude press and uncover underneath but his effectiveness wanes over the second and third levels. He needs to improve his route efficiency to prove he can separate from nickel corners in the pros and must improve as a hands-catcher. Philips’ talent to create for himself and his team as a return man gives him a shot to make a club.
Strengths
Quick lateral footwork to elude press.
Feet rarely slow through his patterns.
Tricks up his sleeve to manipulate break-point coverage.
Footwork for success in choice routes underneath.
Averaged 19-plus yards per punt return, with two career touchdowns.
Beat LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr for a touchdown in 2021
Weaknesses
Needs more speed variance in his routes.
Routes need better efficiency with footwork.
Separation burst is very average.
Might be forced to wear tight, man coverae as a pro.
Lacks the length to succeed on deep 50-50 throws.
Focus and hands are inconsistent.
Positional rank: 17
POSITIVES
— Above-average athlete with very good agility and body control.
— Flashes the ability to make difficult catches away from his body.
— Good route-runner with body control and an understanding of how to gain leverage on defenders. Can do damage on Choice routes from the slot.
— Willing to scrap as a blocker.
— Dynamic punt returner.
NEGATIVES
— Can be a body-catcher instead of reaching out and snagging throws.
— Below-average height and size. Has a smaller frame for quarterbacks to target.
— Little experience working from outside.
OVERALL
Kyle Philips is a slot-only receiver who plays with feel as a route-runner, winning consistently with quickness and patience. He flashes good hands but at times can be a bit of a body-catcher, which can make his catching range a bit limited when paired with his short arms. Philips does come up with catches in high-leverage moments, which will help him earn the trust of whichever quarterback he plays with.
His ability to win versus man coverage and to find space versus zone coverage will translate to the NFL, where he should quickly be able to carve out a niche on third down. He can make defenders miss in close quarters, but has only OK burst and long speed coming out of his breaks.
Philips has limited experience working from the outside, which could make his role narrow. But he does bring value as a punt returner, opening up a path for him to see the field early in his career.
Overall, Philips can contribute quickly as a returner and as an inside-only option. His lack of size and length puts a ceiling on his ability to win on the outside. But being able to win with quickness rather than overwhelming speed and move the chains as an underneath option gives him the upside of a No. 3-type weapon in a good passing offense as long as the team has other valid options to play on the outside.
Positives: Quick, sure-handed receiver with the ability to make important plays. Outstanding route runner who fires off the line of scrimmage and quickly gets in and out of breaks to separate from defenders. Tracks the pass in the air, nicely times receptions, and adjusts to errant throws.
Possesses outstanding eye/hand coordination as well as focus, snatches the ball out of the air, and displays a sense of timing on receptions. Knows where he is on the field, follows the quarterback across the field, and works to make himself an available target. Gives effort blocking downfield.
Negatives: Lacks a burst, plays to one speed, and isn’t a vertical wideout. Struggles in battles and does not win out for the contested throw.
Analysis: Philips was a productive receiver for UCLA the past three seasons. He separates from defenders through routes and finds ways to come free despite average size and speed. He’ll be a terrific slot or third receiver at the next level and comes with return potential.
Pros:
Great route runner with quick feet and knows how to get open. Very smart he understands play concepts and where the holes in the defense will be. He is a quarterback’s best friend because he never quits on a play and will find a way to get his quarterback a target. Has phenomenal instincts and can be depended on finding the sticks for a first down. He is a really hard worker and a scrappy receiver. He has no problem taking a bit or having to lay out for a ball if that is what the team needs. Plays with an edge that surprises defenders because he always fights for extra yards and will run through you if let him. Excellent blocker, no matter if it’s a run play or something the team had to improvise. He is a very good returner and will be a fantastic special teams player because of the effort he always gives you.
Cons:
Not the biggest or fastest player and isn’t going to overwhelm you with his testing numbers. Doesn’t have great statistics as he never broke 1,000 yards. Not going to be a deep threat, he has the speed to do it but not the size and catch radius to be effective. Did not go against much elite talent in college, so we don’t truly know how good he is. Very inconsistent numbers, though quarterback play definitely played a role in that. He just had too many games where he disappeared and was primarily a blocker.
Summary:
An extremely hard-working wide receiver, who knows how to get open and get first downs. He is a great route runner and a very dependable target for his quarterback, though quarterback play definitely hurt him in his career. He doesn’t the best measurables as far as size and speed go, but his work ethic is outstanding and he is always fighting for more. Very smart player who understands play concepts and where the holes will open up on a defense. Fleet-footed both as a route runner and with the ball in his hand. Plays a very physical game, so he is a tough player to bring down. He is aggressive and loves contact, so he can run through arm tackles quite easily. Has incredible instincts and always knows where the first down marker is, which should not be understated. The ultimate “team player”, no matter how he is being used he will always give you everything he’s got. Though statistically, he was inconsistent, he just didn’t have the quarterbacks to get him the ball.