Ask any college student — during exam season, it’s hard to focus on anything beyond the mountain of work that awaits. UCLA wide receiver and NFL draft prospect Kyle Philips knows the feeling.
Philips recently told reporters that midterm exams were the reason his first meeting with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick felt especially sudden.
“One time I was at the facilities, it was like midterm time and I went to the bathroom and Coach Belichick and Coach (Chip) Kelly were walking by and Coach Kelly introduced me and I got to talk to (him a) little bit,” Philips said, via Mike Dussault of Patriots.com. “I was just so surprised, it’s midterms and I was focused on my papers and wasn’t expecting to see him.”
Philips, who also met the Patriots when he played in the Shrine Bowl in February, led UCLA in receptions in each of the past three seasons. He was named a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and also earned a second-team all-conference nod as a kick returner.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department ranked Philips as the No. 96 overall prospect and 18th wide receiver, while Pro Football Focus has the 5-foot-11, 194-pounder ranked as the No. 134 overall prospect.
Whether or not the Patriots have Philips on their draft board is unclear at this point, but the California native very well may have his eyes on New England. Per Dussault, Philips said he watched “a whole lot” of Patriots film and former Patriots wideout Wes Welker “started it all for him.”
Now that Welker is on the staff of the Miami Dolphins, perhaps Philips will want to be play there. But regardless of where he ends up, his Belichick story is perfect.
