COLLEGE CAREER – The Saints selected Jaylan Ford with the 175th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Texas. The 6-3, 242-pound defender possesses a combination of speed, instincts and strength needed to excel on both defense and special teams. The Frisco, Texas native started 29-of-49 games for the Longhorns during his college career with totals of 287 tackles (141 solo), 27.5 stops for loss, three sacks, ten passes defensed, six interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Heading into his rookie campaign, Ford will look to provide depth at the linebacker position and contribute on special teams.
2023 – Butkus Award semifinalist…A consensus first-team All-Big 12 selection by (conference head coaches, the Associated Press, and Phil Steele) and USA Today All-Big 12…A Phil Steele honorable mention All-America selection…Appeared in and started all 14 games. Totaled 101 tackles (46 solo), 10.5 stops for loss, one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Became the first Longhorn with back-to-back 100-tackle seasons since Keenan Robinson in 2010-11. Had at least five tackles in 13 games and seven-plus stops in nine contests…Had five tackles (one solo) and one interception vs. Rice, his seventh takeaway over his last eight games. Fifth career pick, the fourth Longhorn LB to achieve the feat…Registered eight tackles (four solo), one stop for loss and an interception at Baylor. Was his eighth takeaway over his last 11 games, including six interceptions. Named the Reese's Senior Bowl National Defensive Player of the Week…Posted six tackles (two solo), a season-high 2.5 stops for loss, one sack and one forced fumble at Houston…Had a season-high 11 tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries against BYU…Registered eight tackles (four solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and recovered one fumble against Kansas State…Reese's Senior Bowl invitee. 2022 – Named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press…A first-team All-Big 12 Selection by both the Big 12 Conference head coaches and the Associated Press…Dave Campbell's Texas Football Defensive Player of the Year…Played in 13 games with 12 starts...Totaled a career-high 119 tackles (61 solo), ten tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four interceptions, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups...Registered career-highs with 15 tackles (ten solo) and one forced fumble and notched half a sack versus UTSA…Recorded 12 tackles (eight solo), one stop for loss and one forced fumble at Texas Tech…Had 14 tackles (seven solo) and one tackle for loss against West Virginia…Made seven tackles (four solo), one stop for loss and had one pass breakup in a shutout of Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown…Registered eight tackles (two solo), one fumble recovery and had his first career interception against Iowa State. Tabbed the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Cyclones…Recorded six tackles (four solo), two tackles for loss and one sack at Oklahoma State…Made 10 tackles (six solo), had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and an interception return for 18 yards at Kansas State. Netted Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his standout performance against the Wildcats…Tallied nine tackles (three solo) and half a sack against TCU…Made five solo tackles and had a 12-yard interception return at Kansas…Registered 13 tackles (two solo), two stops for loss, one quarterback hurry, one pass breakup and an 18-yard interception return against Baylor. His interception against the Bears his fourth of season, tying the single-season interception record for a Texas linebacker, last accomplished by Derrick Johnson (2002 and 2003). Earned third Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor for efforts against Baylor, becoming the third Longhorn to earn the accolade three times in the same season (Johnson, '04; Jackson Jeffcoat, '13)…Totaled ten tackles (five solo) against Washington in the Alamo Bowl. Marked his seventh game with double-digit tackles in 2022 and the eighth of his career…119 season tackle total was the most for a Longhorn since 2014 (Jordan Hicks - 147; Steve Edmond - 131). All four of interceptions set up Texas TDs. 2021 – Played in all 12 games with two starts. Registered 53 tackles (29 solo) with a team-leading six stops for loss…Had three tackles (one solo) in Texas' season-opening win versus Louisiana-Lafayette…Collected 12 tackles (seven solo) with a stop for loss and a quarterback hurry against Oklahoma State…Made five tackles (three solo) including a stop for loss at West Virginia…Recorded six solo tackles and two stops for loss against Kansas State. 2020 – Played in all ten games, contributing primarily on special teams and started in the Valero Alamo Bowl versus Colorado. Logged 14 tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss...Recorded three tackles (two solo) in his debut versus UTEP...Recorded a career-high seven tackles (two solo) and one stop for loss in the regular season finale at Kansas State...Posted four tackles in the Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.
PERSONAL – A two-time all-state honoree who led Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) HS to the state semifinals as senior...Ranked No. 112 overall in Texas by Rivals...No. 988 nationally, No. 71 at outside linebacker, and No. 123 overall in Texas according to 247Sports...Rated No. 102 at outside linebacker and No. 156 overall in Texas by ESPN...Ranked No. 51 in SportsDay's Top 100 Recruits by the Dallas Morning News...Named second-team 5A All-State in 2019, when he amassed 142 tackles (115 solo), including 11 stops for loss, a sack, six pressures, an interception, a pass defense and a forced fumble. Part of a defense that allowed just 15.7 points per game, including six games of seven points or fewer, including two shutouts. Helped Lone Star to a 14-1 overall record, including a 7-0 district mark/title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state semifinals. Named third-team 2019 Super Team and to the Texas Top 300 by Dave Campbell's Texas Football…Earned honorable mention 5A All-State honors as a junior in 2018 and named Defensive MVP of District 5-5A Division 1, when he compiled 105 tackles, including eight stops for loss, with eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three interceptions. Part of a defense that allowed just 11.3 points per game, including 31 points in their first six games, two of which were on a safety, and seven total games of seven points or less. Helped Lone Star to a 10-3 record, including a 6-1 district mark and 5A Division I regional playoffs appearance…Tabbed the District 13-5A Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017 as a sophomore. Part of a defense that allowed just 13.1 points per game, including four shutouts. Helped Lone Star to a 12-2 overall record, including a 7-0 district mark/title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 2 quarterfinals.
