Report: Miami Dolphins officially sign rookie linebacker Jaelan Phillips

The Miami Dolphins have officially signed Jaelan Phillips after drafting him with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Phillips will be looking to make an impact during his rookie year for the Dolphins. He should have the chance to do that, especially since the front office traded Shaq Lawson to the Houston Texans in the offseason.

The combination of his skills and the opportunity available to him has oddsmakers listing him among the top contenders for the upcoming season’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Phillips has certainly come a long way since medically retiring from the sport back in 2018.

A top-ranked player coming out of high school, Phillips signed with the University of California, Los Angeles in 2017 and impressed during his freshman year in the NCAA. His sophomore year was cut short after suffering a concussion and other subsequent injuries.

Phillips then transferred to the University of Miami and played again in 2020 after sitting out the 2019 season because of transfer rules. He finished the 2020 season with 45 tackles and eight sacks.