Maybe, but let's not forget the rare athlete that Jaelan Phillips is. There's a reason he was the #1 recruit in the nation when he came out ... he's big, strong, fast, quick, and has elite pass rushing ability along with enough functional strength and tackling ability to be a good edge setter. He got injured, and his concussion had him re-think football and he 'retired' from football in college. Then he reconsidered, transferred to Miami and was instantly great again. Had he played the entire time and not quit football, we're talking about him in the top 3, because he would be the best edge prospect in this draft. The projections that he falls to 6, 12, 18, or even into round 2 are purely on the fact that there are concerns about him, medical concerns and commitment concerns.
Not sure how Grier & Co. feel about that, but they did just take a chance on Isaiah Wilson, so they're not afraid to bet on talent with concerns. They also drafted Austin Jackson--youngest OL prospect in his draft and former top OL out of high school who was a bone-marrow donor. They also drafted Igbinoghene, and he was a young raw athlete recently converted to CB, and Robert Hunt who was a small school prospect, so they've got a proven track record of betting on great athletic talent even when there are concerns. They claim they want players who eat, sleep, and breathe football ... so commitment seems like a big deal, but I can definitely see them betting on the athletic gifts of a super-edge who has the versatility to be a hybrid DE/OLB or take an Ogbah type role. That kind of talent is hard to find, and we definitely need an edge player.
