Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, a fourth-year sophomore who started all 13 games this season after missing most of the 2013 season with a back injury, announced via Twitter that he is entering the draft.
Phillips (6-foot-6, 334 pounds) is a physical specimen, and his size certainly is impressive. He had 38 tackles (he had a career-high six in Monday's bowl loss to Clemson), two sacks and seven tackles for loss this season, and he can be a force in the middle.
If he can remain healthy, he can be a productive NFL interior lineman. He had back surgery in October 2013. His medical tests in the pre-draft run-up will play a big role as to his draft status, and he has the potential to be a second-day pick if everything checks out.
While he had two seasons of eligibility remaining, he already had been at OU for four years. While he was a fulltime starter this season, he redshirted as a true freshman in 2011, was a backup in '12 and played in just four games in 2013 before receiving a medical redshirt. Phillips, who is from Towanda, Kan., is a former national top-50 recruit.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
