Michael Ford Jr., G Kansas: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Ford was a three-star recruit from Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School in Homewood, Ill. in the class of 2020

The Kansas Jayhawks have gone on a multi-year run with legitimate NFL offensive line prospects. Next in line is guard Michael Ford Jr., who currently projects as a Day 3 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Visit my Twitter account @Sam_Teets33 for more opinions on prospects, clips, and the latest football content.

Michael Ford Jr., G Kansas: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior guard from Homewood, Ill.

Background: Ford was a three-star recruit from Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School in Homewood, Ill. in the class of 2020. He did not receive a 247Sports Composite grade but was a three-star recruit for the outlet and the No. 160 guard in the country. Ford was the No. 2,739 recruit (three-star) according to On3.com. He was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals and did not receive a star rating or grade out of 100 from ESPN. Ford transferred from Buffalo to Kansas for the 2021 season. In high school, he earned Second Team Southtown Football All-Area honors from the Chicago Tribune in 2019. Ford was also a SWSC All-Conference selection as a senior. He wrestled in high school, going 24-8 at the heavyweight level and earning SWSC All-Conference honors in 2018.

Injuries & Off-Field: Split snaps with Kobe Baynes vs. Texas (2023)

Awards: N/A

Pros: Enters 2024 with more than 2,200 offensive snaps, significant snaps at left and right guard, arm length appears to surpass NFL thresholds, steps to take the air out of the pass rush, outreached Jer'Zhan Newton and locked him out (2023), powerful arm extensions, good hand placement with inside leverage, firm punches, nice power in hands, solid hand fighter, replaced hands quickly when Jer'Zhan Newton swiped them (2023), fierce run blocker who enjoys competing in the trenches, washes away defenders on down blocks, comfortable pulling on gap runs, keeps his body between the defender and the ball carrier in the run game, seals a clear run lane for the ball carrier, eliminates crashing backside run defenders, people mover vs. Kansas State (2023)

Cons: Penalized five times in 2023, lower half is lean compared to upper frame, pad level rises quickly, pad level makes him vulnerable to push-pulls, limited knee bend in pass set, overaggressive at times leading to losses, chases defenders in pass pro instead of being patient, base becomes narrow in pass pro, narrow and light base was an issue vs. Illinois (2023), could anchor lower in stance, body positioning/angle puts his outside shoulder at risk, struggles to mirror twitchy defenders, not agile enough to mirror Jer'Zhan Newton following defensive hand counters (2023), struggled to contain T'Vondre Sweat one-on-one (2023), Alfred Collins pulled him off balance and ran around him for the pressure (2023), vulnerable to swim moves, chases his man on stunts instead of switching early in the play, no recognition of stunts until it’s too late

Overview: Ford enters the 2024 season with more than 2,200 career offensive snaps, mostly split between left and right guard. His arm length appears to surpass the league’s desired thresholds, but his lean lower half doesn’t match his thicker upper frame. Ford is an aggressive blocker who frequently steps to take the air out of the pass rush. He wants to initiate contact with his firm punches and powerful arm extensions. The Illinois native packs nice power in his hands and places them well to establish inside leverage. Ford successfully outreached Illinois All-American Jer'Zhan Newton in 2023 and locked him out. When Newton swiped Ford’s hands, the guard quickly replaced them to keep Newton in front of him. However, Newton won his fair share of reps against Ford. The defensive tackle recorded a sack with 12:37 left in the second quarter after a two-handed swipe knocked away Ford’s hands. Ford quickly worked to replace his hands but lacked the lower body agility to mirror and block Newton. The redshirt senior guard struggles to mirror twitchy defenders because of his foot speed, pad level, and base width. His pad level rises quickly after the snap and makes him vulnerable to push-pull and swim moves. He incorporates limited knee bend into his pass sets. Ford’s aggressive approach to blocking earns him some quick wins, but he also suffers some quick losses as more agile defenders dodge his advances and draw even with his shoulder before flying past him. Ford needs to be more patient in pass protection. He is too tempted to step to and chase defenders. His base becomes too narrow in pass protection, which makes it easier for him to lose his balance. Ford’s narrow base also allows defenders to soften his shoulders and work around him. The former Buffalo transfer tries to anchor too high in his stance, which makes it difficult to handle larger defenders like T'Vondre Sweat (2023). His body positioning is often inadequate and makes it easier for defenders to work around his shoulders. Despite his experience, Ford routinely fails to recognize and adjust for stunts. Ford is a fierce run blocker who washes defenders down the line on down blocks. He’s surprisingly comfortable pulling on gap runs and does a good job using his body to shield the ball carrier from defenders when creating running lanes.

Overall, Ford has tape against NFL-caliber opponents that showcases good hand placement, upper body power, and utility in the run game, but his aggressive nature, pad level, and agility led to losses that could’ve been prevented. Ford continuing to make these mistakes as a college veteran suggests he is a future quality NFL backup who hears his name called on Day 3.

Role & Scheme Fit: Right or left guard in an inside zone or gap scheme

Round Projection: Fifth Round

Size: 6'3", 305 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 03-04-24