Phillips stands out among safeties

0 Comments | USA TODAY, April, 2008 | by Larry Weisman

Two out of three, Kenny Phillips says, isn't bad.

He set some goals when he went to the University of Miami (Fla.), he took his shot at achieving them and now he's focused on the NFL.

"I wanted to lead my team in interceptions one year. I did that one year. I wanted to be an All-American. I did that one year," Phillips says. "I wanted to win a national championship, but that didn't happen. Sometimes it's like that."

Phillips, entering the NFL draft as a junior, probably timed his exit properly, even if he and the Hurricanes failed to win a title. The 6-2, 212-pound free safety is the best available player at his position almost by default.

"It's not a good year for safeties," says Eric DeCosta, director of college scouting for the...