2015 NFL Mock Draft: Melvin Gordon is a Colt

Jordan Phillips. 28. player. 45. <p>The Denver Broncos will likely be losing one of the key cogs in their defense, nose tackle Terrance Knighton, to free agency next month. At such a difficult position to replace with an impact player, the Broncos would be thrilled to see the mammoth Phillips reach them at the 28th pick.</p> <p>Standing 6’6″, 334 pounds, Phillips would be one of the largest men in the league from day one. Don’t let that fool you, though, this man can move. His body is proportioned well and he owns great length in his arms, allowing him to control multiple blockers. As scary as this sounds, Phillips could still pack on some added bulk without it hurting his game.</p> <p>His ideal fit in Denver’s defense would be eating up blockers as the nose tackle, which would create room for DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller to spill through open pass-rush lanes. He’ll need to improve his anchoring if he hopes to be successful with this, but that boils down to a simple adjustment in his lean and bend.  In his final season at Oklahoma, he was pushed off balance at times because he allowed himself to get too high.</p> <p>Another issue that comes with Phillips is a back injury that teams will be looking at closely leading up to April. As long as this doesn’t show up as a chronic issue, teams will be willing to take the risk with one of the most unique physical products in this entire class. Plugging the nose position with a cheap, impactful player such as Phillips will also allow the Broncos to spend elsewhere as they look to load up for one final run under Peyton Manning.</p>. DT. Oklahoma