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Like Steve Ishmael, Ervin Philips didn’t hear his name called in the NFL draft this week. However, the Syracuse Orange receiving star will be on an NFL roster this fall when Training Camps open across the league.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed the Syracuse Orange all time leader in receptions as an UDFA. The Post-Standard broke the story. Philips’ Orange career included 2,069 (nice) receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns to go along with the program leading 223 receptions. His senior year, Phillips earned second team All-ACC honors.
Syracuse football WR Ervin Philips signs undrafted free agent deal with Buccaneers @CuseFootball #OrangeNation #Cuse
— syracuse.com (@syracusedotcom) April 29, 2018
https://t.co/cCxnjyN3aa pic.twitter.com/UD3wFQyF77
The Bucs only picked up one other wideout; their fifth round selection was Justin Watson out of Penn, a pick receiver’s coach Skyler Fulton was lobbying for. With Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson already securing starting roles, Philips will have to angle for a special teams role out of the gate or hope to make the practice squad.