Tennessee Titans 2022 fifth-round pick and wide receiver Kyle Philips has been turning heads all camp long and has been the biggest standout among the team’s rookies.
Not only has Philips proven to be a tough cover according to one unnamed Titan, but he’s also gaining the trust of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who looks for him often in practice.
While Philips’ play on the practice field has been impressive, his knowledge of the game has also caught the attention of wide receivers coach Rob Moore, who calls the rookie “The Professor” because he’s “a bit of a know-it-all.”
“He’s a bit of a know-it-all; that’s why I call him ‘The Professor,’ because there’s nothing he doesn’t know,” Moore explained. “His passion for the game kind of shows up a lot, just when you talk to him about it. He really does have a good mind for the game and he’s a guy that you can make adjustments in a quick moment and he can adjust to it. I think from that standpoint, he’s done a great job of kind of grasping what we’re asking him to do.”
“It definitely makes me feel good but it also puts a little bit of a target on my back,” Philips said of the nickname. “Sometimes [coach Moore will] throw some trick questions out there to try and catch me, and when he does he doesn’t let me live it down. So, it goes both ways.”
Another thing that has impressed Moore about Philips is his ability to create separation.
“The kid’s just been pretty consistent at creating separation. That’s what every quarterback likes, is separation,” Moore said. “And given an opportunity, he’s made some plays. I think the thing that you love about him is that he does love football and he’s always trying to find ways to get better.”
Sometimes college film can lie, but not in the case of Philips. Moore says he sees a lot of the good things the rookie did at UCLA on the practice field now, including the things that make a wide receiver elite.
“The quickness, his route imagination, his ability to be able to shape the routes with stems and sets, and all those things that make the elite players who they are,” Moore explained.
Philips, who is also a candidate for punt return duties, has made a very strong case that he deserves at least a fairly significant role out of the gate in 2022.
And, while he was quiet in his preseason debut on Thursday, the rookie will have more opportunities to cement his role in the practices and preseason games in the weeks ahead.
One thing that is for certain, though: Philips is a lock to make this roster.
