Eating Double Teams in the Trenches
Ford isn’t your flashy edge rusher. He operates in the mud. At 6’2″ and 293 pounds, he brings a low center of gravity that makes him a nightmare for opposing centers. His final season stat line—15 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one interception—doesn’t jump off the page. But look closer. He freed up Penn State’s linebackers to feast all season long. When Ford anchored the middle, the Nittany Lions suffocated the run. You could practically hear the pads popping from the upper deck every time he dug his cleats into the turf. He absorbs double teams so his teammates can collect the glory.
Ford’s journey to this point required serious grit. After a highly productive 70-tackle run at Old Dominion, a preseason injury robbed him of his entire 2023 season at Penn State. He fought his way back through grueling rehab to become an indispensable, rotational run-stuffer in 2024 and 2025. That kind of locker-room resilience carries heavy weight with pro general managers.
“He is nearly impossible to move one-on-one. He plays with excellent leverage and pad level. He has violent hands that disrupt blocking schemes.”
— Penn State Depth Chart Analyst, Nittany Lions Scouting
Draft Day Implications / What’s Next
Ford projects as a classic 1-technique nose tackle at the pro level. Teams desperate for early-down run-stuffers will circle his name on Day 3. Because he lacks elite pass-rush production, he faces a tough climb and might slip into the undrafted free agent pool. However, his raw strength and sheer durability over a long collegiate career give him a legitimate shot to crack a 53-man roster out of training camp. Every NFL defense needs a guy willing to do the dirty work in the A-gap. Ford will be waiting for his phone to ring when the draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23.
