Phil Hoskins Selected by Carolina Panthers in Seventh Round of NFL Draft
Kentucky senior defensive tackle Phil Hoskins was chosen in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers as the 232nd overall pick in the 2021 National Football League Draft on Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.
Hoskins, a native of Toledo, Ohio, came to Kentucky in 2017 after playing one season at Highland Community College (Kansas). He saw action in 31 career games with 11 starting assignments, all coming in the 2020 season. Overall, he totaled 53 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, seven quarterback hurries, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Wildcats.
After missing the 2019 season due to injury, Hoskins, who is 6-foot-4, 313 pounds, received a 6th-year extension waiver to play in 2020. He made the most of his waiver, setting his season high with 30 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, a team-high-tying five quarterback hurries and an interception. Hoskins earned his first Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week award following UK’s win over South Carolina on Senior Night. On the first possession of the game, on third-and-5, his two-yard TFL forced a field goal that was missed by the Gamecocks. He added four tackles and a quarterback hurry, with his QBH in a series that ended in a punt.
Hoskins earned a degree in community leadership and development in May of 2020.
Kentucky/NFL Draft Notes:
- Hoskins is the 18th player drafted under head coach Mark Stoops at Kentucky, the school-record sixth in the 2021 NFL Draft, joining linebacker Jamin Davis (first round by the Washington Football Team), cornerback Kelvin Joseph (second round by the Cowboys), nose guard Quinton Bohanna (sixth round by the Cowboys), cornerback Brandin Echols (sixth round by the Jets) and Landon Young (sixth round by the Saints).
- The six picks are the tied for the fourth-most in school history and the most since 1979 (eight).
- The six picks are the most for Kentucky since the current seven-round draft era began in 1994.
- This marks the second time in the last three years that Kentucky has had five or more draft picks (five in 2019).
- Hoskins is the 12th defensive player (Avery Williamson, Bud Dupree, Za’Darius Smith, Josh Forrest, Josh Allen, Lonnie Johnson, Mike Edwards, Jamin Davis, Kelvin Joseph, Quinton Bohanna, Brandin Echols) drafted under Stoops at Kentucky (since 2013), the fifth defensive player in the 2021 draft.
- For the second time in the last three years, Kentucky had a first- and second-round pick in Jamin Davis, first round and Kelvin Joseph, second round. Prior to that, you have to go back 42 years to find two UK picks in the first two rounds (Warren Bryant and Randy Burke, first round 1977).
- There have been six other Wildcats who have played for the Panthers’ franchise in Jeff Brady (1998), Chris Demaree (2003), Otis Grigsby (2006-07), Marlon McCree (2005), Dean Wells (1999-2001) and Garry Williams (2009-14).
- Hoskins is the first Wildcat ever drafted by the Panthers.
