Second-Year DT Jordan Phillips Dolphins Captain Candidate in 2026
Miami Dolphins training camp is well underway, and the team is under a week away from its first preseason game. However, the foundation for leadership has been taking shape since organized team activities (OTAs). New head coach Jeff Hafley will continue evaluating who emerges as the team’s leaders throughout camp, but there have already been signs pointing to several candidates who could join the 2025 captains expected to wear the coveted “C” once again this season.
Center Aaron Brewer, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and defensive tackle Zach Sieler should each remain part of that leadership group. On a very young Dolphins roster, Fins Faithful will take a closer look at several players who could join the veteran trio.
While the first player in this series was Miami’s 2025 fifth-round pick, former University of Maryland safety Dante Trader Jr., the next candidate is one of his former Terrapins teammates. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips is only 22 years old, but he has demonstrated maturity well beyond his years. His outstanding work ethic on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom has impressed both his college and professional coaches, not only because of his play but also because of his leadership qualities.
As a rookie, Phillips didn’t post eye-catching statistics, but that doesn’t mean his impact went unnoticed. He recorded 34 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit while providing strong run defense throughout the season. During his time at Maryland, head coach Mike Locksley became one of Phillips’ biggest supporters. In a 2025 interview with Miami Dolphins writer and podcaster Travis Wingfield, Locksley emphasized that Phillips’ value extended far beyond the stat sheet.
Locksley told Wingfield last summer, “He did his job in our system, and I know coming into this draft some of the knock on him was the lack of production, because what we asked him to do was eat up double teams powerfully, and knock the line back, and it affected the run game quite a bit.”
Phillips also earned praise from Sieler during OTAs in May. Speaking with South Florida reporters, Sieler said, “He’s worked his tail off this offseason. To see his growth from last year to this year has been incredible. His confidence on the field, his knowledge, and you can tell the game is starting to click for him more and more.”
Most importantly, Phillips quickly caught Hafley’s attention. Speaking to the media in June, the head coach recalled, “The thing I’ll say about him is I think it was probably the day after I got hired, I came in early and he was probably the only guy in the building. I remember at that point, I had nothing to do and when I was walking out at night, he was walking out at night. So he was either following me or, I’m just joking, he wasn’t following me, but the guy just always works.”
Hafley continued, saying, “He takes care of his body. He eats right. He is in the weight room on days off, and he embraces playing the run, embraces double teams, and embraces the dirty work, which most people in our league don’t like to do. He’s an unselfish player who truly loves to play this game. Again, I’m very excited to see him when we actually start playing real football.”
That real football is only days away, but the foundation for Phillips to become one of the Dolphins’ future leaders appears to have been laid long before training camp began.
