2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas LB Jaylan Ford

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Texas ILB Jaylan Ford.

#41 JAYLAN FORD/ILB TEXAS – 6020, 240 LBS. (SENIOR)

Combine

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

– Good length and body type to be an every down linebacker
– Solid fundamental tackler, wraps up well
– Good pursuit to the ball, even when far from the play
– Great communicator on the field
– Solid overall athletic ability and straight-line speed
– Runs well in coverage, can carry a receiver deep
– Plays well in space in one-on-one situations against ball carriers
– Good ball skills, with six interceptions and four forced fumbles

THE BAD

– Slow to recognize plays, struggles against play action
– Doesn’t use hands enough when taking on blocks; lets blockers into his chest which limits his functional strength
– Gets lost in traffic at the line of scrimmage
– Just adequate at moving laterally and changing direction

BIO

– Originally a 3-star recruit coming out of Lone Star HS in Frisco, Texas
– 22 years old, 23 in November
– First-team All-Big 12 selection in 2022 and ’23
– Third-team AP All-American in 2022
– Received his first start as a true freshman in the Valero Alamo Bowl
– No notable injury history in high school or college
– Majored in communication and leadership
– Butkus Award semifinalist in 2023
– Started 29 games in 49  total games played
– 287 total tackles, 142 solo tackles, 27.5 TFLs, three sacks, six INTs, four passes defensed, four FFs
– Multi-year Academic All-Big 12, Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
– Texas’ leading tackler (10) in CFP Allstate Sugar Bowl against Washington

TAPE BREAKDOWN

One of the big things that stuck out on Ford’s tape were the issues off the snap. He is almost always the last person to move as he diagnoses the play. Inside linebackers have a tough job needing to read run-pass every play and their responsibilities can vary more than other positions depending on play type. That being said, Ford is often slow to make his decision and pull the trigger to close on his intended spot. In the first play of the clip the offense is doing a pin and pull run play and it takes him that extra half second to diagnose before committing outside. He did a nice job standing up the blocker to give the running back nowhere to go, but he doesn’t always get away with those slow starts off the snap.

On the second play, he is almost a full step behind everybody else and by the time he decides where he wants to go he has already been sealed off by a blocker. Sometimes the patience works out in his favor, while other times it puts him behind the eight ball.

He also has inconsistent hands when taking on blockers. He gives up his chest too easily and uses his shoulder instead of his hands to engage blocks at times. In the first play of this clip, Ford lowers his shoulder into the block instead of engaging with his hands which made it an easy read for the running back to go the opposite direction. He does show signs of effective hand usage in the second play of the clip, but it is inconsistent enough to be a problem. Especially when compounded with the slow starts to plays.

When his objective is clear, and he knows where he needs to get to, Ford has impressive closing speed. To be an every down linebacker you have to be able to go sideline-to-sideline to some extent and he shows that in this clip. On each of the plays in this clip he shows that capability. On the second play in particular, he makes up a ton of ground on the running back who was well outside of him on the toss play.

He has a good motor and pursues to the ball with full effort, even when the play appears to be well out of reach for him. On the first play of the clip, he got into the backfield and got knocked off balance as the running back took off in the other direction. Ford continued his pursuit and ended up chasing him down for the tackle.

Ford is a strong tackler. He is fundamentally sound and wraps up well to limit any yards after contact. When it’s just him and a ball carrier, he does a nice job closing, wrapping up, and securing tackles. His play strength really shows in this area as players are rarely able to break his tackles.

This play really shows off his play strength as he absorbed the offensive linemen’s block and the ball carrier lowering his shoulder to make the tackle. He slipped underneath the block and stopped the scrambling quarterback in his tracks. He was able to get low and absorb impact from two people while holding his ground—impressive stuff.

His coverage skills are very solid. He has good enough straight-line speed to carry receivers up the field, like on the first play of the clip. He stayed right in phase and showed fluid hips to turn and run to help force an incompletion. He also sees the field well while covering. On the second play of the clip, he runs his receiver out to the flat while keeping his eyes on the quarterback. As soon as he saw the quarterback wind up to throw, he closed on the drag route and delivered a big hit to force an incompletion.

CONCLUSION

Overall, Ford has many of the tools necessary to be a successful three-down linebacker in the NFL. His length and overall frame are ideal for the position and his athletic ability is solid enough to move sideline-to-sideline and excel in coverage. Some of his positive traits are being hampered by play recognition issues and inconsistent hand usage, which will be the key to unlocking his potential. He projects to be a solid NFL starter after a year or two of development.

Projection: Late Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd round)
Games Watched: vs Oklahoma (2022), vs Kansas (2023), at Alabama (2023), at Iowa State (2023)