Ourlads' Profile:
2024 Guide: What Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services said about JAYLAN FORD:
Texas | HT: 6023 | WT: 240 | 40 time: 4.78 | Arm: 3134 | Hand: 0912 | Wing: 7438
Two year starter. First-team All-Big 12 in 2022 and 2023. Third-team All-America in 2022. Has desired size for an inside backer with a powerful build. Solid effort player, he hustles in pursuit and plays to the whistle. Deliberate with read and react, he shuffles downhill and off tackle with the right path to the ball. Pursues to the alley maintaining inside out leverage. Takes on blocks with knee bend and a powerful strike to get ball side leverage on blocks. Excellent tackling skill squares up ball carriers, gathers and drives through tackles. Consistently makes plays in space. Very good zone defender, he gets depth in his drop and looks for work. Has a good feel for route concepts and can balance threats and find the throwing lane. Adept at flipping his hips to take an inside receiver up the seam. Not a lot of man-to-man reps but his athleticism and agility allow him to match backs out of the backfield. Has hands for interceptions and has six over the last two seasons. Not the most instinctive diagnosing running plays as there is some hesitation on read. Can over or underrun plays at times. Gets downhill but not sudden reacting and can be late to the play. Can get walled off by climbing blockers at the second level. Vulnerable to getting too far upfield versus play action. Long speed is suspect and he underruns on the perimeter at times. Has value as a special team player with sure tackling in space covering kicks. Will have sub package value due to cover skills and could develop into a three down linebacker.
2023 Stats: 101 T, 10.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 PBU, 6 QBH, 1 FF, 2 INT. Draft projection: 4th/5th round