Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford has become the next Longhorn to hear his name called at the NFL Draft, selected with the No. 175 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
Ford played high school football at Lone Star High School in Frisco (TX) where he was a three-star prospect, ranked the No. 1,194 overall recruit and the No. 134 linebacker in the country in the 2020 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
In his four seasons in Austin, Ford appeared in 49 games with 29 starts, earning a First-Team All-Big 12 selection twice in back-to-back seasons the past two years. Also named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press in 2022 and a semifinalist for the Butkus Award in 2023.
After primarily serving as a special teams contributor and reserve linebacker with just two starts in his first to seasons with Texas, Ford became the first Longhorns’ linebacker to record back-to-back 100-tackle seasons since Keenan Robinson in 2010. Ending 2022 with the second most tackles in the Big 12 with a career-high 119 and 2023 with 101 tackles. Also recording 10.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six quarterback hurries, and two pass breakups last season as Texas had their best year since in 2009.
Ford was a dependable senior captain in college who played in all 49 games during the last four seasons, showing quick instincts in the run and pass game with an innate ability to quickly diagnose and make big plays.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jaylan Ford
Ford was a dominant mike linebacker at Texas, but NFL analyst Lance Zierlein believes it will be hard for him to replicate his production at the next level. Giving Ford a sixth to seventh-round draft grade based on what he saw during his time with the Longhorns.
“Two-year starting linebacker with good size and athleticism but average speed and below-average instincts. Ford’s tackle count is almost evenly split between solo and assisted, which is a little unusual for an inside linebacker with multiple opportunities to play the role of sheriff. He lacks ideal anticipation to mirror the pathway of running backs and tends to be too impacted by encounters with blockers,” Zierlein. “He pursues the ball with good pace and has become a steady tackler in the open field. Ford has great hands and third-down value but might lack the consistency needed to stick on a roster long term.”
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