What has Kenny Phillips done lately?

Kenny Phillips tries to stay away from watching the NFL Network these days. There is no desire to watch ESPN or read anything on the Internet concerning this weekend's NFL Draft.

As Phillips says, he refuses to "read into" what any so-called draft expert opines about his lack of productivity last season for the Miami Hurricanes.

"I don't hear what they got to say," said Phillips, a 6-foot-2, 212-pound free safety. "I just listen to the coaches. If they have something to say, I listen."

Phillips, who elected to skip his senior season, is still not a lock to be selected in the first round. He will, however, continue the long line of UM safeties to play in the NFL when his name is called, joining the likes of Sean Taylor, Brandon Meriweather and Ed Reed.

"I have him as my top safety on the board," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "But I still have him going in the second round."

Phillips was projected as a Top 10 pick before last season, but his stock somewhat dropped after what many analysts called an average year. He had 82 tackles, but just two interceptions for a UM team that finished 5-7.

Still, Phillips believes he possesses first-round talent, just like those UM safeties who preceded him.

"I think so," Phillips said. "I can't say where in the first round. I think I did a pretty good job [at the NFL Combine] and I can pretty much go in the first round."

Most draft analysts say Phillips lacks the playmaking ability of Reed or Taylor. Although he's a solid tackler, they seem unable to forget about his final season. He entered with such high expectations after being a candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award.

"Kenny Phillips is not in the first round right now because he's still a borderline player," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. "But there's a safety by the name of Tyrell Johnson from Arkansas State who has really moved up. ... You look at him escalating up and Phillips not coming off a great year."

Interested teams questioned Phillips on the so-called decline in production. As a freshman, he appeared on the way to being a high first-round pick. He stepped in for injured Anthony Reddick, starting the final 11 games. He ranked third on the team with 88 tackles and his lone interception preserved a victory against Clemson.

Phillips, a Carol City native, made third-team All-American the following season before watching his statistics drop slightly in 2007. He said he answered the inquiries from NFL personnel by saying he improved in areas not shown by stats.

"I told them I matured more as a player," Phillips said. "I took on a lot more responsibilities as far as communicating and helping the coaches out because we had a lot of new coaches coming in. I was still making plays."

There is still a chance Phillips cracks the first round. The website NFLDraftCountdown.com has the New York Giants taking him with the 31st pick, the last of the first round (New England doesn't have a first-round pick). The Dallas Cowboys also have shown interest at the No. 22 pick.

Phillips, who continues to say he made the right decision to leave early, is ready for all the speculation to end.

"It's a long process," Phillips said. "It's a lot as far as a team. There's a lot of money involved. They make sure if you're married, who your girlfriend is, your second-grade teacher. They're definitely trying to figure some things about you. It's definitely a long process, but we work so hard so when it's all over, it feels good to be done with it."

(sun-sentinel.com)