Kentucky Football Countdown: No 23 Andru Phillips

The Kentucky football season is inching closer. Now 23 days away from kickoff, Andru Phillips is working hard to make his mark during fall camp to enter into the secondary rotation for the Wildcats in 2022.

About Phillips

Andru Phillips was a top 10 player in the state of South Carolina when the cornerback signed with the Wildcats in 2020. During his senior season at Mauldin he tallied 38 total tackles, eight pass breakups, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Also a track and field star, he was ranked No. 1 in the country in the triple jump. He won a pair of state titles in the event.

He’s the son of former Kentucky Wildcat Carlos Phillips. Originally from Owensboro, Carlos Phillips played with Mark Higgs on the Red Devils’ team that fell to Trinity in the 1983 4A State Championship. He signed to play for Jerry Claiborne in 1986.

Andru Phillips Fun Fact

We talk about his athleticism on the football field. How does that translate into random feats of greatness? Before graduating high school Andru Phillips jumped off two feet over a Nissan Altima. It’s one of the most preposterous videos that’s ever graced the World Wide Web.

on who I don’t got no bounce… pic.twitter.com/lLM9GneYHw

— dru (@AndruPhillips) February 27, 2019

2022 Forecast

Andru Phillips picked up some experience through his first two seasons in Lexington. After playing in four games as a freshman, in 2021 he saw action in nine games, including the Citrus Bowl, and recorded three tackles. Building off some late-season momentum, he received a ton of reps in spring practice to prepare for a competitive fall camp.

Carrington Valentine has one of the starting positions locked down. Keidron Smith is likely receiving a bulk of the reps on the other side of the field, but you can’t play defense with only two cornerbacks. The Wildcats brought in a ton of players from the transfer portal to compete for the swing cornerback position, but it’s Phillips’ for the taking. He looked ready to rise in Kentucky’s lone open practice, playing with intensity to get over the top of routes to cut-off potential pass-catchers. Andru Phillips is a physical player on the edge of the defense. Developing consistency is key to ensuring he plays a significant role for Kentucky this fall.