Is Clark Phillips III A Crucial Piece Of The Defensive Back Puzzle In Atlanta?

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Jun 23, 2025 - 16:00

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Is Clark Phillips III A Crucial Piece Of The Defensive Back Puzzle In Atlanta? originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Falcons defensive back Clark Phillips III will get his opportunity to start and contribute consistently this year.

The Atlanta Falcons selected defensive back Clark Phillips III in the 4th round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Utah. For his previous two seasons, he has had the opportunity to start seven games for Atlanta. He has appeared in 27 games for his career and has performed well when given the chance.

During the 2024 season, Phillips recorded a career high in tackles with 35. He also recorded 1 interception, forced 2 fumbles, and recovered a fumble. Phillips will look to earn a starting spot for Atlanta when training camp rolls around in late July.

Falcons DB Clark Phillips III defends the pass against the Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

During his three seasons at Utah, he started in all 31 games, recorded 112 tackles (84 solo), defended 30 passes, and recorded 9 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.

Some NFL officials think a breakout season is looming for the young defensive back. At only 5-feet-9 inches tall, he plays much bigger than he is when it comes to going toe to toe with big-bodied receivers. He has sneaky fast hands to knock the ball away from defenders, and has excellent lateral movement on the outside.

Phillips also has excellent ball skills and can flip his hips to run with the speedsters in the NFL. He will be a crucial part of the puzzle for the Atlanta Falcons defense this year, which will be a lot more aggressive after undergoing a bit of an overhaul. Atlanta has looked to add plenty of depth on the defensive side of the ball, and Phillips may be in those long-term plans for Atlanta if he contributes at a high clip.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.