The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford plans on taking full advantage. Ford recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Ford also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, playing the physical linebacker position, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Ford better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Jaylan Ford: I believe I was at our facility. We had just wrapped up a team meeting. We were asked to come down to the front desk. Boxes of Reese's Senior Bowl invites were sitting there for my teammates and I (laughs). There were a few of us.
At that moment, I just felt very thankful and blessed. To position myself to receive an invite, for the Senior Bowl to deem me worthy of receiving an invite, I felt blessed. It means I have produced to a point where I get to showcase my abilities at the Senior Bowl.
Being somebody who has been around football, I’ve seen how some of my past teammates reacted to receiving that invite. I’m blessed to be in their shoes now. There’s a legacy aspect to it. It’s huge. I’m so excited.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Jaylan Ford: When I first received the invite, it took me a little bit to make a decision. For me, it came down to the history behind the Reese’s Senior Bowl. I know what Mobile means to the pre-draft process. All of the top seniors in the country that had a great year or a great career want to go out there to compete. I’m excited to see all of the talent out there.
I felt like it was a full-circle moment for me. It’s one final opportunity for me to showcase my abilities on the football field before the 2024 NFL Draft. I’m going to size myself up against the rest of the top talent in the county.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Jaylan Ford: The two biggest things I want to showcase are my leadership qualities and my football IQ. I played middle linebacker at Texas. It was my job to make sure everybody on the field, especially on defense, everybody is set and understands their role. I was like the quarterback of the defense.
I want to prove I’m capable of handling that at the next level. In the NFL, they call it the “green dot.” I want to prove I can wear the green dot at the next level. That’s my main focus. I want to showcase that, and everything else I learned about being a leader at The University of Texas.
JM: You’re a natural leader. How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Jaylan Ford: As far as the on-field goes, I would say I’m an excellent communicator. I understand my responsibilities. I do my job at a high level. I have great awareness and play recognition. I’m great in coverage. I can play in the box, between the tackles, and in space. I’m a sideline-to-sideline guy. I’m a three-down defender.
JM: Those are the qualities NFL defenses are looking for. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL linebacker, who would you choose and why?
Jaylan Ford: That’s a great question. I really like Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I watch tape on a bunch of NFL linebackers. I feel like I have a little Lavonte David to my game. I’ve been in a lot of similar situations. We have some of the same traits and abilities.
JM: That’s a great choice. You’ve recorded 100-plus tackles in consecutive seasons. What is it about your game that allows you to always be around the ball?
Jaylan Ford: Knowing that you always have to be around the ball as a middle linebacker has been the biggest reason why. Practice makes perfect. Whether the ball is being thrown or handed off, I’m always making sure that I’m in the right position. I always find the most effective route to the ball.
I’m a secure wrap-up tackler. It’s all about effort. You have to make sure you get to the ball first and foremost. Once you’re there, it’s about effort and being a sound tackler. Splash plays and hard hits are fun, but these past two seasons, I understood the importance of getting to the ball and getting the guy on the ground. I think that’s why my tackle numbers have improved.
JM: You’ve done that at a high level. What’s on Jaylan Ford’s pre-game playlist?
Jaylan Ford: My go-to song is “Money on My Mind” by Lil Wayne. Obviously, I have a lot of Lil Wayne on the playlist. I have a lot of Drake on there. I like Future a lot as well. NBA Youngboy is pretty good as well.
Right before I get on the field, I play instrumental music. That’s how I get my mind into a mental state of being ready for what’s to come. That’s how I prefer to lock in. I cross that threshold of being a regular person versus being a football player that’s getting ready to go to battle.
JM: At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Jaylan Ford?
Jaylan Ford: It means I went out there and showed all the scouts, everyone that’s watching that I’m rubbing shoulders with the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. I can play the linebacker position to the best of my ability.
I got this thing from former NFL linebacker Derrick Johnson. You know he went to Texas, right? We talk a lot. One thing that always stuck with me, he told me you want to be the best at your position, better than the man across from you at his position. That’s how you gain an advantage. I want to be a better linebacker than my opponent is a good running back, quarterback, offensive lineman, or whatever.
At the end of the week, if I can showcase that, it was a successful Senior Bowl.
