The trust was there from the start and Phillips, 6-foot and 200 pounds, credits Walker, who leads the league with 748 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.

“It’s weird that we’ve bonded so quickly, but it started in training camp,’’ Phillips said. “I can look at him and know he’s throwing to my back shoulder or wherever. I know his tendencies and he knows mine.’’

But things haven’t always come so easily for Phillips. Start with high school. Phillips was an outstanding football player, but he played in the shadows of one of the most famous basketball schools in the country – DeMatha Catholic High in Hyattsville, Md. Still, Smith was good enough to earn a scholarship to Virginia Tech.

There, he excelled. But he admits he made a mistake his senior year, playing with a sports hernia on each side of his body for most of the season. Phillips had surgery after the season, but said trying to come back too soon prevented him from being drafted in 2018.

“I wasn’t fully healed, but I worked out at pro day,’’ Phillips said. “But I didn’t do well at all. I think that’s why teams stay from me.’’