Browns sign third-round pick Jacob Phillips

The Cleveland Browns signed linebacker Jacob Phillips on Monday. He is the sixth member of the team’s seven-person draft class to be signed.

Taken in the third round at No. 97 overall, Phillips’ contract will be worth a little more than $4.49 million over four years, with a signing bonus of $832,292, according to OverTheCap’s pre-determined draft chart. His cap hit in 2020 will be $818,073.

Phillips, who is 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds, led the national champion LSU Tigers with 113 tackles - the best in the SEC - while making 15 starts in 2019. During his collegiate career, he played in 39 games, making 218 tackles, posting two sacks and making on interception.

While Phillips may need to find his place on special teams at the start of the season, linebackers coach Jason Tarver likes the energy that Phillips brings to the field, as he told clevelandbrowns.com:

“Jacob is a very smart, productive young man with high energy. He’s a winner, and he has good length and top speed and power, which has improved throughout the offseason. It’s different because you’re not on the field with everybody. What Zoom allows you to do is spend time in different little groups so everyone can know everybody and have a feel for who they are. JP has done a good job of it.

“He’s a good box player who has gotten more and more productive as he went through the year on a championship team. Jacob has the skill set for all (linebacker positions), and that was what we wanted. We wanted football intelligence. We wanted length and speed, and he has those. His skillset really fits for any of those spots.”

With Phillips under contract, the Browns have signed six of their seven selections in the 2020 NFL Draft. He joins offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (first round) defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (third round), tight end Harrison Bryant (fourth round), center Nick Harris (fifth round) and wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (sixth round).