As a player, Ford is a pass rusher first. He is very quick off the ball, with an explosive first step. He stays low and knows how to use his hands. He has the snap and power through his hips to bull-rush and the quick feet, body control, and flexibility to be effective with moves and countermoves. He shows an excellent burst off of blocks to close to the quarterback. He consistently shows he can dip his shoulder and get under a blocker.
Ford can be inconsistent against the run. He lacks natural size and bulk, and at times, can be slow to get off the blocks of big lineman. He is instinctive and quick to find the ball but can be over powered. He is better when he uses his athleticism to slip blocks and run to the ball. As a pursuit player, he is very good because he consistently takes good angles, is a top competitor, and has speed.
Ford will be best as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. He has played on his feet in the past and has shown he can drop into coverage. Playing that position, he can still use his pass-rushing skills to his advantage. There are some 4-3 clubs that will like him, but I don't think he can be an every-down player playing as a 4-3 defensive end. He just won't be able to hold up versus the run at a top level.
It sounds like he can help our pass rush and our pass coverage. He will need to get stronger and bigger and he can do that. We might not want to use him in obvious run situations, but that doesn't happen a lot against Manning and Rivers. Overall, this is a very positive assessment.
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