Saturday Blitz
Fansided

College Football: Top 30 breakout candidates for 2018 season

By Connor Muldowney

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
22 of 30
Next
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

At one point in time, Jaelan Phillips was the nation’s top overall recruit and UCLA fans were drooling at the thought of him rushing opposing quarterbacks and becoming an instant All-American on a suspect defense.

Unfortunately, he got lost in the shuffle too much as a freshman, recording 21 tackles, seven for loss and 2.5 sacks. He played well when he was on the field, but his opportunities to shine were few and far between. He appeared in just six games, but that should all change in 2018 with a new head coach ready to take advantage of his abilities.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound defensive lineman is an imposing force and has quickness around the edge, but can play multiple positions up front. He’s going to fill a major need for UCLA this season and make Chip Kelly‘s life easier.

No, UCLA’s defense probably won’t be the biggest surprise in the Pac-12, but Phillips will emerge as one of the nation’s top defensive linemen.

Home/College Football News