Michael Ford Jr., IOL, Kansas
Size:
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 305 lbs
Accomplishments:
Three-star recruit
“Michael Ford Jr. is a highly versatile and athletic offensive lineman whose hand fighting, quick feet, and hip flexibility make him a high-upside pass protection guard.”
Strengths:
Athlete
Positional flexibility
Hand fighting
Zone blocking
Concerns:
Hand location
Lunging
Eyes
Play strength
Film Analysis:
Michael Ford Jr. enters 2024 with more than 2,000 snaps played over his three seasons at Kansas. While aligning mostly at right and left guard, he’s played some snaps at right tackle here and there and offers swing tackle flexibility for Kansas if need be. Ford redshirted his freshman season at Buffalo before transferring to Kansas. His experience and positional flexibility will see him anchor the Kansas offensive line in 2024.
Zone blocking looks good on Ford, especially with his fierce ability to down-block and wash defenders out of gaps. He gets out of his stance quickly, which allows him to handle difficult-to-reach blocks and pull efficiently. He has enough arm length to keep players at bay, and his feet are connected on zone blocks so he doesn’t have to lunge. He’s a scheme-versatile run blocker with his pulling efficiency and double to the second level.
He’s a great hand fighter in pass protection, always looking to reattach his hands and find the right location when mirroring defenders. Staying connected is challenging, but his feet are quick and his hips flip quickly for recovery. He also mixes up his protection stances between aggressive and drop-back, keeping rushers guessing.
Ford was a wrestler in high school, which shows in his core strength, but his hand strikes could use more power. Adding more sand in his pants will help against the powerful bull rushers at the next level. His hand location is spotty—outside the frame too often—which contributed to some penalties in 2023. He’s a suitable puller but telegraphs more significant movements by aligning too far behind the rest of the offensive line. When pass-protecting, he tends to lunge and play with a wide base, allowing rushers to move around him quickly, even with quick feet. If he can keep his head on a swivel more effectively, he’ll better protect gaps from outside rushers/blitzers.
Ford has a high upside due to his versatility and athleticism. His base knowledge and experience could help him win a starting role on an NFL offensive line. Being more consistent in 2024 will go a long way toward attaining that.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental traits
Written By: Daniel Harms
Exposures: Texas Tech (2023), Texas (2023), Kansas State (2023), Iowa State (2023)
