4 under the radar 2021 NFL Draft prospect balling out led by Jaelan Phillips

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2021 NFL Draft prospect Jaelan Phillips. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports /

Who are some undervalued players to keep an eye out for in the 2021 NFL Draft?

As crazy as it sounds we are now onto week 13 of the college football season. Now while not every conference or team has played an equal amount of games most have played enough to reflect on their current 2021 NFL Draft landscape. As conferences get closer and closer to their championship games, we have seen quite a few prospects make the most of the opportunities handed to them.

We often hear about the top prospects in any given draft class but what is often overlooked is the mid round players who really make up the meat of the class. The prospects are the ones to make or break your draft class each year. While it is important to hit on the top picks each year it is the under the radar guys that can really help set your team up for success.

There is still a lot of time between now and the NFL Draft, but here are some names you should familiarize yourself with as each has had their stock rise significantly throughout the season.

1. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL)

If you follow recruiting cycles you have probably heard of Jaelan Phillips. Phillips is a former number one overall recruit from the 2017 recruiting cycle, when he committed to play for UCLA. No one has ever questioned Phillips from a talent perspective, but after a stint of injuries derailed his playing time at UCLA he entered the transfer portal and landed at Miami (FL).

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This pushed him out of the public’s radar for the time being but when former Miami (FL) pass rusher Gregory Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season it became clear it was Phillips’ time to shine. And he has done just that through the first eight games of the year, racking up 37 tackles, five sacks, and 10.5 tackles for loss.

What has really risen Phillips stock though is his play the past two weeks though. During that time Phillips has recorded 18 tackles, six tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. This past week was by far his most dominant performance of the year and it came versus Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, who many see as a potential first rounder.

It has been hard to ignore how productive Phillips has been but for all the positives he has shown his past has kept many hesitant on him as a prospect. While at UCLA he dealt with some wrist, ankle, and concussion issues that led him to miss over half his games during the two years he was there. But with prototypical size, speed, and flexibility Phillips checks a lot of the boxes you look for in a pass rushers.

Now it comes down to how willing will teams be to buy in on a player with his injury history. If he continues his current play it might be sooner than many expect.

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