Photo via KickoffCoverage.com

Leading up to the NFL Draft, which is set for Thursday through Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — home of the Dallas Cowboys and the annual International Bowl — we'll take a look at former U.S. National Team players who are draft-eligible this year and hope to continue their football dreams in the NFL.

Harrison Phillips, defensive tackle, Stanford

Height: 6'4 

Weight: 307

40-yard dash: 5.21 seconds

Bench press (225 pounds): 42 (tops in combine)

Vertical jump: 32 inches

Projected draft position: Third round

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Bio

Phillips was Nebraska's state player of the year, a state- and national-champion wrestler, and a state qualifier in track and field while at Millard West High School. After appearing in six games as a freshman at Stanford, Phillips suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first game the following year. He rebounded with a solid junior campaign, and then led all Football Bowl Subdivision defensive linemen with 103 tackles as a senior, including 17 for loss and 7.5 sacks. Phillips displayed his power at the NFL Combine, as his 42 bench press reps topped all participants.

At the Combine, Phillips recalled his time with the 2014 U-19 U.S. National Team

 

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5 Questions at the NFL Combine 

Q: Did you make some lasting connections in your week with the U.S. National Team?

A: It made me meet a lot of players, (and I've) followed their careers on social media, checking in on some of the guys who were my teammates, see what they did and what they're doing now. Some of the guys came out (for the draft this year), some are still in school. It's a tight community. It's great.

Q: What's one way you utilized your time after your injury during your sophomore season?

A: I felt so bad, that mental part of not being able to help, so I partnered up with the (graduate assistants), broke down tendencies on film a lot more ... so now when I watch tape, they just come out naturally.

Q: How much did your wrestling background help you in your football development?

A: A lot. I had a lot of success, a three-time state champion and four-time national champion, and the physical parallels of hips, hands, fluid and deep balance, things like that help, but also the mentality where it's you and another person.

Q: Getting 100 tackles on the defensive line is unheard of. How'd you do it?

A: I'd say it goes into how much I love the game and what I'm willing to do for it. I think 30-plus hour of film work, memorizing those tendencies, I could turn to my teammates and tell them (what was coming). We kind of coined the term "intellectual brutality" at Stanford, and that's how I played.

Q: Is there an NFL player you've tried to study as your own pro career approaches?

A: Ndamukong Suh. He played at Nebraska, and I grew up there, so I've been watching a lot of his tape. I think we're similar height/weight-wise, so I'd love to get to that level.