Kenny Phillips Kenneth Phillips ( born November 24 , 1986 ) is an American football safety who is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the New York Giants 31st overall in the 2008 NFL Draft . He played college football at the University of Miami . Early years . Phillips attended Miami Carol City Senior High in Miami , Florida where he played safety . As a senior in 2004 , played free safety and finished with 84 tackles , six interceptions , three fumble recoveries , four defensive touchdown s and three punt return s for touchdowns . Phillips intercepted 16 passes during his high school career . He also played in the prestigious U . S . Army All - American Bowl . In 2004 , Phillips was the nation ' s top safety prospect and " USA Today " Defensive Player of the Year . Phillips was a " Parade " All - American and was selected to the PrepStar Top 100 Dream Team . He was rated the nation ' s No . 1 safety prospect by leading college recruiting magazines " Rivals " and " Scout " and the No . 12 and No . 10 overall prospect by " Rivals " and " Scout " respectively . He was considered the No . 1 prospect in Dade County by " The Miami Herald " and the No . 1 prospect in the state by the " Orlando Sentinel " . College career . Phillips chose to attend the University of Miami over Tennessee , Florida State and North Carolina State . In his freshman year , Phillips was named to the All - ACC Freshman Team after starting 11 games at free safety . He ranked third on the team with 93 tackles ( 58 solo ) , recovered two fumbles , broke up four passes and recorded one interception . Phillips interception came against the Clemson Tigers in triple overtime and sealed the win for the Hurricanes . As a sophomore , Phillips was named to the All - ACC 1st Team and 2nd team All - American by Rivals . com . He started 10 games out of 10 at strong safety , missing only three games due to a torn ACL . He ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 71 total , broke up 6 passes , and recorded 4 interceptions . Phillips earned " ACC Defensive Back of the Week " honors for his play against Duke in which he tied a University of Miami record with three interceptions in one game . Phillips was also named to the 2006 All - ACC Academic Football Team . As a junior , Phillips was named to the All - ACC 1st Team for a second straight year , and 2nd team All - American for a second straight year . He started 12 games out of 12 at safety . Phillips ranked second on the team with a career high , 95 tackles ( 69 solo ) , made 6 . 5 tackles for loss , forced three fumbles , broke up 5 passes and intercepted 2 passes . After the season , Phillips declared for the NFL draft . Professional career . 2008 NFL Draft . Phillips was drafted in the first round ( 31st overall ) by the New York Giants in the 2008 NFL Draft . Many experts claimed there were no safeties in the draft worth a 1st - round pick , aside from Phillips ; as expected , he was the only safety drafted in the 1st - round . His selection also continued the remarkable streak of University of Miami safeties selected in the 1st - round , the last being Brandon Meriweather , who was selected 24th overall by the New England Patriots in 2007 . Prior to the draft , " The Sporting News " compared Phillips to Deon Grant . New York Giants . Phillips was expected to compete for the vacant free safety position left by Gibril Wilson , who left for free agency to the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 offseason . Phillips stated his goals with the Giants in his first season are to " come in , learn and try to make a statement . " Entering mini - camp , Phillips chose to wear the number 21 as a tribute to the late Sean Taylor , who , like Phillips , played safety at the University of Miami and wore the number 21 when he played for the Washington Redskins . At the end of the 2008 preseason , Phillips was slated at the # 2 spot on the depth chart at the free safety position behind Michael Johnson . While not a starter , Phillips split time at the free safety position with Johnson and also played on special teams . He made the first interception of his career in week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers , coming with only minutes left in the 4th quarter , sealing a 21 - 14 victory for the Giants . Phillips got his first start of the season against the Eagles while James Butler was out with an injury . He remained the starter when Butler returned from his injury . As the season continued , Phillips ' play showed marked improvement . As no University of Miami player was selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft , Kenny Phillips ' selection in 2008 marks the end of a fourteen - year streak during which at least one Miami Hurricane football player was taken each year . As of 2012 , Phillips is still the last player from the University of Miami taken in the first round . On September 24 , Phillips was placed on injured reserve with an " unhealthy left knee " . Phillips was diagnosed with patellofemoral arthritis in his left knee before the season , and the condition worsened through the first two games of the 2009 season . Following microfracture surgery , it is unclear whether Phillips will be able to return to the level of play he exhibited before the injury . Microfracture surgery has so far been seen as a success by doctors and Phillips himself . Phillips believed he would be ready for week one of the 2010 season for the Giants opener against the Carolina Panthers . If Phillips was not ready to go at the beginning of the season , he would be replaced by former Seattle Seahawks Deon Grant . Once ready to play , Phillips would team up with fellow Miami Hurricane Antrel Rolle in the Giants backfield for the first time . On September 12 , Phillips made his long - awaited return to the Giants as a starter alongside Rolle in the Giants ' season opener against the Carolina Panthers . He managed to intercept a pass from Panthers quarterback Matt Moore in the Giants ' 31 - 18 victory . For the 2011 regular season , Phillips recorded personal career - high statistics in three defensive categories : interceptions ( 4 ) , pass deflections ( 11 ) and tackles ( 82 ) . Philadelphia Eagles . Phillips signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 14 , 2013 . On August 25 , 2013 , Phillips was released by the Eagles . Statistics . Statistics . " Source : "