Safety first at Miami - Giants' Phillips has Hurricane pedigree

Before Kenny Phillips' final season at Miami, Ed Reed and Brandon Meriweather provided him with a message of encouragement.

"We paved the way for you," they said. "All you have to do is be you and you're going to be all right."

It was a message that resonated on several levels. For one, Phillips had to be his own player. He wasn't Reed or Meriweather and he didn't have to emulate them. But because he wore the same college uniform as those two and played the same position, he would indeed be all right come draft time.

When the Giants selected him with the 31st overall pick last month, Phillips became the fourth Hurricanes safety to be drafted in the first round since Reed was picked 24th overall by the Ravens in 2002. He joined Meriweather (also 24th overall by the Patriots last year) and the late Sean Taylor (the fifth pick by the Redskins in 2004).

The four Miami safeties are tied for the most first-round picks from a program at a position in the last seven drafts, joining Ohio State wide receivers and Miami cornerbacks. But a total of 56 receivers and corners have been drafted in the first round since 2002, making the Hurricanes' 33 percent share of the 12 first-round safeties seem even more impressive.

Only Auburn offensive guards (two of six) have posted such a percentage.

"The biggest reason we're successful is because they come back and help us," Phillips, who never met Taylor but has chosen No. 21 -- Taylor's number with the Redskins -- as a tribute to him, said the other day at Giants rookie minicamp. "Ed came back and helped Brandon and me. Brandon helped me when I was there. It's like we try to keep it going. It was like a brotherhood. You always have a big brother with the Miami safety tradition."

They also have a father -- coach Randy Shannon, who was the Hurricanes defensive coordinator from 2001-06 before taking over the head job last season. Shannon feels it's no coincidence Miami has had so many first-round safeties. In fact, he cites several reasons why the program is an NFL safety factory.

"One thing we've always done here since I played here with Bennie Blades is we try to find safeties that can make plays and do things in high school not just playing safety," Shannon said by phone. "We always try to find guys that had ball skills and that can be excited about the game and have some special qualities about them that you say, 'He's a guy.' And that's what we found in Kenny."

In addition to his prowess as a safety at Miami's Carol City High School, Phillips was a star returner. Reed did it all at Destrehan (La.) High: Quarterback, tailback, safety and returner. Taylor was a running back and safety at Gulliver Prep in Pinecrest, Fla. And Meriweather was a defensive back and option quarterback for Apopka (Fla.) High. Click here to continue reading...