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Two-star athlete Taurus Phillips comes to Villanova after his commitment was announced less than a day before National Signing Day. The school has announced that Phillips has signed a National Letter of Intent today to play for the Wildcats.
According to reports, Phillips is expected to work with coach Brian Flinn to translate his talent to wide receiver, after playing primarily at running back and safety in high school. At 5'9" and 175-pounds, he is a likely candidate for the the slot receiver position where he could be used more like Jamal Abdur-Rahman than Poppy Livers.
| Class | Name | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | Jamal Abdur-Rahman | 5'9" | 175 lbs. |
| Junior | Aaron Wells | 5'8" | 195 lbs. |
Phillips will be primarily an understudy as a freshman unless his 4.43 speed and elusiveness blows away the coaching staff over the summer. With Poppy Livers heading into his final season and Abdur-Rahman and Aaron Wells getting ready for their junior campaigns, there will be a need for a playmaker in the slot sooner than later, and Phillips could be that guy.
The Beacon, N.Y. prospect had almost no interest before the season, but started hearing from Nebraska, Arkansas, UConn, Georgia Tech and Villanova by late December after averaging 13.6 yards per carry this fall and impressing coaches who showed up to watch an all-star practice.
