The Utah Utes 2020 recruiting class got a huge boost with the signing of La Habra, Calif. four-star cornerback Clark Phillips III. Phillips flipped to Utah after being committed to The Ohio State Buckeyes for six months. Phillips is one of the best recruits in the entire country, and he could have gone anywhere. He was the gem of Ohio State’s class on defense at the biggest position of need for them. Yet, Utah sold him on the program and got him to flip. This is a huge win for the coaches landing Phillips over all of the powers in college football. Utah was on Phillips early, and Sharrieff Shah developed a strong relationship with him. He is the highest-rated recruit ever to sign with Utah.
Phillips does everything well. He is one of the fastest recruits in the country in the 2020 class. He pairs superb technique with elite instincts. He always seems to be around the football making plays. Another thing I like about his game is he is not afraid to tackle and can lay the wood. He plays hard every play and is a hard worker by all accounts. He will absolutely thrive in Utah’s defense. Expect Phillips to have a similar career arc to Jaylon Johnson. He will likely start at Utah from day one, early all-conference and all-American honors during his Utah career, and leave after three years as a high NFL Draft pick. Landing players like Phillips is what Utah needs to do to take that next step in the Pac-12.
Phillips is an All-American Bowl participant and a Sports Illustrated All American. He ranks as the No. 5 player in California, the No. 4 cornerback, and the No. 47 overall player by the 247Sports Composite Ranking.
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