The Giants also passed on Phillips with the number five pick, and the St. Louis Rams picked him at number six. Well, two weeks ago, the Rams finally tired of Phillips' continued problems and simply cut him. On Thursday, Ogden was selected to his first Pro Bowl in only his second season. The Ravens' decision was extremely wise. St. Louis, on the other hand, learned a costly lesson that many other NFL teams have learned or are learning through the years.
Character does make a difference.
I would bet that the Ravens, and the other five teams that passed on Phillips, have watched his progress in St. Louis the last two years wondering if they passed up the next Barry Sanders. Early this season Phillips started to look like he might shine. But he couldn't follow the rules. He couldn't avoid trouble. He got cut.