Jaelan Phillips

Carolina PanthersOVERPAID

Pos EDGE

Updated October 8, 2026

Compare Jaelan Phillips EDGE rankings →

Model Score

80.8 MODEL

2021

80.5

2022

84.5

2023

76.9

2025

76.4

2026

80.8

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

STM Take

Miami 18th overall draft pedigree plus the back-to-back 7-sack early-career seasons plus the multi-year Achilles-ACL injury history puts Phillips in the high-pedigree post-injury recovery EDGE class. The Miami-via-UCLA transfer pedigree plus the structural Dolphins anchor role establish real college foundation. The 2026 question is whether Phillips returns to tier 4-5 territory or whether the structural multi-year injury wear closes the elite chapter expected from a top-20 pick.

Phillips came out of Miami as the Miami Dolphins' 1st-round pick (18th overall) in 2021 after transferring from UCLA. He delivered a 7-sack rookie season and another 7 sacks in 2022 before tearing his Achilles midseason in 2023. He returned in 2024 but tore his ACL late in the season.

Strengths

Miami 18th overall draft pedigree plus the back-to-back 7-sack early-career seasons establishes structural top-25 EDGE ceiling at peak.
Miami-via-UCLA transfer pedigree plus five years of NFL development gives him real college foundation.

Concerns

Multi-year injury history (2023 Achilles, 2024 ACL) puts continued durability question on every 2026 projection.
Miami's broader defensive identity around the Tua Tagovailoa offensive instability puts continued Phillips production partly outside his control.

What to watch: Whether Phillips returns to tier 5 (top 40) in 2026 post-ACL recovery, the threshold for confirming the elite ceiling can be recaptured.