Scouting Report: Jaylan Ford (LB) - Texas
Sales Pitch: “Experienced linebacker with a well rounded game that should quickly translate to the NFL level. Proficient in all trades but master of none player who lacks an elite ceiling but shows flashes of real ball skills and coverage upside.”
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 2 3/8”
Weight: 240 lbs
Arm Length: 31 3/4”
Hand Size: 9 1/2”
40 Yard Dash: 4.71
10 Yard Split: 1.66
Vertical: 33.5”
Broad Jump: 10’ 1”
Short Shuttle: 4.24
3-Cone: 7.09
Age: 22
Relative Athletic Score: 8.30 / 10.00
Statistics
Career: 142 TKL - 27.5 TFL - 3 SK - 6 INT - 4 PD - 3 FF
2023: 47 TKL - 10.5 TFL - 1 SK - 2 INT - 2 PD - 1 FF
Strengths
Multi-year impact starter in college
Solid size and athleticism for the position
Willing to take on contact at the point of attack in run defense
Displays solid pursuit effort and angles
Coverage upside to match TEs 1 on 1 up the seam
Agility to get depth on drops and take away quick throwing lanes
Strong ball production in final two years of starting
Weaknesses
Below average length for the position
Struggles to shed blocks at the point of attack
Aggressive player that can get caught guessing in run fits
Lacks top end speed to cut off outside runs
14.5% missed tackle rate for his career
Bad habit of overrunning plays in the open field
Easily moved by QBs eyes in zone coverage
Struggles to remain consistent in zone coverage. Will drift and forget about routes in his area.
Lacks the instincts and fluidity in space to navigate traffic
Summary
Jaylan Ford is a well rounded linebacker with a significant amount of experience and coverage upside. The former 3-Star recruit from the state of Texas was a four year contributor for the Longhorns, first as special teams standout, then as a starting LB. Ford logged 700+ snaps in back to back seasons to finish his career, being granted All Big-12 honors in both campaigns. At 6’ 2” 240 lbs, Ford is well built for a modern linebacker. He has the size and strength to take on blocks in the hole while giving little ground. He is willing tackler that will insert himself in the run game on a consistent basis. Ford does struggle to disengage from blocks at the 2nd level. A lack of flexibility and marginal hand usage limits his ability to win versus lineman and will require a defensive line that can keep him clean at the next level. Ford is a solid athlete but is quicker than he is fast. He lacks the range to beat faster ball carriers to the edge and leans on pursuit angles to chase them down. A big red flag for Ford’s resume is his issues as a tackler. He has a 14.5% career missed tackle rate, below average arm length and limited flexibility give him a reduced tackling range at all areas of the field. The intriguing part of Ford’s game is his coverage upside. He shows the ability to quickly drop and gain depth in zone coverage to take away throwing lanes. He also has the ability to turn and run up the seam with tight ends and bigger WRs. Ford had good ball production as a starter in college, with 6 interceptions and 4 pass breakups in 2 years. Right now Ford’s coverage profile is built around upside not ability because he struggles with inconsistencies. He can easily be moved by QBs eyes when in zone and has mental lapses where he loses awareness of routes in his area. Ford projects best as an off-ball MIKE or WILL in a gapped up defensive scheme. The lack of elite traits or innate instincts project for a lower ceiling at the next level. Ford should be a starter quality linebacker that can play on all three downs with a high floor as a special teams standout.