Miami Hurricanes DE Jaelan Phillips second highest transfer portal signee ever

Miami Hurricanes defensive end Jaelan Phillips is the second-highest rated signee since the transfer portal was instituted in 2018.

As ranked by 247Sports.Com, Miami Hurricanes defensive end Jaelan Phillips is the second-highest rated player who has gone through the transfer portal since it was introduced in 2018. Phillips transferred to Miami in January 2019 after being the top-ranked signee in the nation with UCLA in 2017.

The only transfer who was higher rated in two years since the transfer portal began was former Georgia quarterback Justin Fields who transferred to Ohio State in January 2019. The transfer of Fields had a domino effect that allowed Miami to sign Tate Martell as a transfer from the Buckeyes.

Martell chose to opt-out for the 2020 season. After limited playing time with the Hurricanes in 2019 and being suspended for the 2020 season opener against UAB, Martell is not likely to return to Miami. No one has utilized the transfer portal more than Miami over the last two offseasons.

K.J. Osborn led Miami in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns in 2019 after transferring from Buffalo. Defensive end Quincy Roche joined Miami from Temple in the 2020 offseason and leads the Hurricanes with 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in the first three games of 2020.

"2. JAELAN PHILLIPS247Sports Composite ranking: 0.9989Position: Outside linebacker (as a UCLA signee)Signed with: UCLATransferred to: MiamiPhillips, now a key cog for the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes, was once the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit. He showed promise as a true freshman for UCLA in 2017, finishing with 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in six games.However, Phillips appeared in only four games as a sophomore with the Bruins, and decided the West Coast wasn’t for him. He bolted the Southern California scene for South Florida in 2019, and after not playing at all last season, finds himself in a pivotal role for Miami this season.With pass-rushing extraordinaire Gregory Rousseau opting out in 2020, Phillips is hoping to provide the ‘Canes with support in that department. In Miami’s first three games, Phillips has 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and two passes defended.”"

Without Rousseau, Miami still has an elite pass-rushing duo of Phillips and Roche. Phillips numbers do not indicate the impact he has made for the Miami defense. Without Phillips, Roche would be double-teamed far more frequently. Miami is able to create pressure up front without blitzing because of Roche and Phillips.

Led by Phillips and Roche Miami has continued to be one of the best defensive lines causing chaos behind the line of scrimmage. Miami is tied for third nationally with 31 tackles for loss and tied for fourth nationally with 10 sacks. Expect Phillips to start recording sacks and increase his TFL per game numbers this season.