Tag: Jerome Ford

Video: Rookie RB Jerome Ford’s move turns Eagles defender’s ankle

Another day, another highlight for the Browns rookie. This time, he leaves the Philly defender hopping on one leg:

As fans are no longer allowed at Cleveland Browns training camp, it will be up to the media and the team’s social media to keep everyone up to date on the happenings around the team. In that way, it is like the regular season in Berea, Ohio right now.

Having the Philadelphia Eagles in town for two days of joint practice makes it a unique could of days for the team. The Browns and Eagles hope that a couple of days of quality practice will be more valuable than their preseason game on Sunday.

Cleveland does not plan to play most of their starters on Sunday and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the same was true for Philadelphia.

One of the glimpses we got from today’s practice came from the Browns offense. Once again, as he did in the team’s first preseason game, rookie RB Jerome Ford had the highlight:

The Eagles defender who twisted his ankle and came up hopping is CB Kary Vincent Jr. Vincent played two games for Philadelphia last year including one start.

Ford continues to have a great showing for himself in the preseason. With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt leading the way, Ford will compete with D’Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton for a role in the offense. A lot of talent at the running back position but Ford is making a strong push to get some carries.

Rookie Jerome Ford provides first half highlights for Browns offense

Watch the rookie back bust a long run and then finish off the drive with a TD:

The start to the Cleveland Browns first preseason game didn’t go anywhere near as well as anyone would have hoped. Center Nick Harris went down for what looks like a bad knee injury and QB Deshaun Watson was rusty. WR Anthony Schwartz dropped two passes and a couple of penalties on the offensive line were problematic.

D’Ernest Johnson also turned the ball with a fumble early in the game as well.

Thankfully, the game didn’t end in the first quarter. With Watson on the sideline, Josh Dobbs took over at quarterback with the team down 13-0. That is when rookie RB Jerome Ford took over, first with this 41-yard run:

Ford finished off the drive with a short touchdown run to put Cleveland on the board:

With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt sitting the game out, the team’s other backs got a chance to shine. Ford took advantage of his opportunities early racking up 48 yards on six attempts.

Ford also caught one pass for 13 yards.

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Jerome Ford: What the Browns are getting in their 5th round RB

Continuing his series, @joshkeatley16 takes a look at Jerome Ford: What the Browns are getting in their 5th round RB #Browns

The Cleveland Browns did not have a first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft and despite many fans clamoring for them to trade back in to snag a star, Cleveland made the decision to create no chaos on the first day.

On the second day, Browns fans grew even angrier, because the franchise elected to trade back from their first draft selection, but once they did make a selection they made some noise.

We already covered what the Browns are getting in Martin Emerson, Alex Wright, David Bell, Perrion Winfrey and Cade York and now we move on to their next selection. With the 156th selection in the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Jerome Ford, running back from Cincinnati.

Now let’s see what he can do:

With pick #156, the Browns select RB Jerome Ford

With 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, Ford had a great year. One analyst compared him to one of his new teammates. More on the Browns newest running back:

The Cleveland Browns active offseason continued on Saturday of the NFL draft. They drafted DT Perrion Winfrey, who had a passionate media availability time, and K Cade York while also trading down with the Minnesota Vikings to get a pick next year and a fifth-round pick this year.

The Browns also just traded CB Troy Hill back to the Los Angeles Rams to get another pick in 2023.

With pick #156, the one acquired from the Vikings, Cleveland selected RB Jerome Ford out of Cincinnati. Ford started at Alabama before transferring to the Bearcats for his final two seasons.

In 2021, Ford had his first chance to carry the load for a team. On 215 attempts, Ford rushed for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Nick Chubb is locked up to a contract extension but Kareem Hunt is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season and D’Ernest Johnson hasn’t signed his restricted free agent tender.

Demetric Felton was drafted as a running back but played more as a receiver as a rookie.

One analyst compared Ford to Hunt:

This highlight video shows what Ford can do:

Cleveland has three picks left in the 2022 NFL draft with one in the sixth round and two in the seventh.

2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

Jerome Ford lends breakaway speed to his North-South running style that should get him onto NFL playing fields.

Jerome Ford originally played for Alabama, but like so many other top high school athletes, he found himself just one of many elite players for the Crimson Tide (Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris). After appearing in just eight games over two years, he entered the transfer portal as a redshirt sophomore in 2020 and went to Cincinnati for the next two seasons.

Ford originally was one of the top college prospects in 2018 when he attracted offers from North Carolina, Nebraska, Tennessee and Arizona.  He is considered a tier or behind the top rookie backs, but he’s already shown the traits and abilities to be a successful in an NFL that mostly relies on committee backfields.

Height: 5-11
Weight: 210 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds

Ford shared the Bearcats backfield with Gerrid Doaks in 2020 but then became the primary last year when he totaled up 1,539 total yards and 20 touchdowns. He failed to score in just two games and gained 5.1 yards per carry on his 15 rushes in the Cotton Bowl loss against his previous school of Alabama.

Also see: 2022 NFL Draft Central

Table: Jerome Ford, NCAA stats (2018-21) 

Year School Games Runs Yards Avg. TD Catch Yards TD
2018 Alabama 4 7 37 5.3 0 0 0 0
2019 Alabama 4 24 114 4.8 3 2 11 0
2020 Cincinnati 10 73 483  6.6 8 8 51 0
2021 Cincinnati 13 215 1319 6.2 19 21 220 1

 Pros

  • Averaged 6.3 yards per carry in two seasons with Bearcats
  • Classic North-South runner
  • Patient runner that follows blocking
  • Great vision
  • Elite change-of-direction ability
  • Very strong inside rusher
  • Game breaking speed with a second gear
  • Quick feet
  • Intelligent – makes good decisions
  • Excels at short yardage

Cons

  • Not a natural pass catcher
  • Will need to develop pass protection skills
  • Older (23) for a rookie running back
  • May end up as the rushing half of a two-player backfield

Fantasy outlook

The expectation is that Ford goes in the top three rounds, and more likely in the third than the second. If he falls to the fourth, he’ll present a very nice value to his team. Ford’s college career started slowly due to the perpetual logjam of talented rushers at Alabama, and he needed two years to establish himself for Cincinnati, so basing his outlook solely on his college resume is likely incomplete.

Ford was a great rusher for the Bearcats with chunk plays and breakaway speed when he cleared the first tier of the defense. That rushing ability could get him onto the field as a rookie, but his more sparse background as a receiver could work against him ever becoming a three-down back in the NFL.

As with any runner, where he lands will dictate how much fantasy value he’ll create as a rookie.  But Ford could surprise in the right situation. He only totaled 31 receptions in college, but he did catch nearly every pass thrown to him. He’ll be a strong consideration on dynasty teams and a definite training camp watch regardless wherever he lands.

Cardinals scheduled for official visit with Cincinnati RB Jerome Ford

The Cardinals will use a top-30 visit on Ford, who rushed for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns for Cincinnati in 2021.

The Arizona Cardinals have their eyes on running backs as they prepare for the NFL draft at the end of the month. According to Jordan Schultz, the Cardinals were using one of their official top-30 visits on Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford this week.

Ford measures in at 5-1 and 220 lbs. He ran the 40 in 4.46 seconds at the NFL combine and posted a 31-inch vertical leap and 118-inch broad jump.

In 2021, his only season with the Bearcats, he rushed for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns on 6.1 yards per attempt. Previously, he played for Alabama but was behind other running backs like Brian Robinson, Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs. His transfer to Cincinnati proved to be smart.

He has good physical traits and can catch the ball as well.

He could be a target for the Cardinals on Day 3 of the draft, as they have five selections in the sixth and seventh rounds.

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Perfect mid/late-round RB fits for Eagles in 2022 NFL draft

Looking at the perfect mid/late-round running back fits for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2022 NFL draft

The Eagles currently have four running backs on the roster and the with the NFL draft fast approaching, the organization could choose to bypass adding another ball carrier.

If Howie Roseman chooses to replace Jordan Howard, there are several worthy candidates to join the depth chart, while not interfering with Kenneth Gainwell’s development as a second-year player.

With Miles Sanders entering the final year of his rookie deal, here are the perfect mid to late-round running back fits for the Eagles in this month’s draft.

When should the Texans address running back in the 2022 NFL draft?

The Houston Texans must draft a running back. Where in the 2022 NFL draft should the Texans invest their capital to bring in a young RB?

This past Friday, the Houston Texans made one of their more significant signings of  free agency in running back Marlon Mack. Mack, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, represents one of the few outside free agents they’ve added to the team this off-season and a much needed presence in the running back room. 

Mack ran for 1,091 yards during the 2019 campaign for the Colts and was set to share the backfield with rookie running back Jonathan Taylor prior to an unfortunate ACL tear in September of 2020. Taylor, of course, went on to become one of the best running backs in the league with the backfield to himself. As such, Mack was left as the odd man out and forced to leave to find opportunity for volume.

The 26-year-old joins a Houston team with Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman as the primary competition for snaps. Mack lacks high-end athleticism but has patience and power to navigate between the tackles and is a seemingly great fit for what Pep Hamilton has preached he wants to do in the 2022 perspective.

From exclusively a skill perspective, Mack factors in as the team’s immediate best running back on first and second downs. Seemingly, he’s filled a large void where Houston was once concerned about how they would aid second year quarterback Davis Mills

However, his presence on the roster is not one where the Texans should feel comfortable exhaling at the position. They still have one of the weakest running back groups in the league and will likely need more than their a motivated Marlon Mack to make a splash in the AFC South this upcoming season.

They need another running back.

Based on general manager Nick Caserio’s other moves thus far this off-season, another addition through free agency seems unlikely. This places the ability of Houston to add another the back solely on the 2022 NFL Draft. If there’s no doubt to the question of “if,” the new narrative becomes: when? A question that may best be broken down into three tiers if one operates under the assumption the Texans won’t trade.

In the draft, Breece Hall has separated into a tier of his own by all accounts. If Houston wants a shot at the three-down back, he will likely need to be selected with the team’s first pick of Day 2 at 37th overall. There are mumblings of teams selecting Hall late on Day 1 and it would appear virtually impossible for the back to last until their next pick at 68th overall. Hall would provide an immediate bell cow presence to the offense and a dynamic in the back field that the Texans haven’t employed in years. The premium talent that provides a back you can construct an offense around will also require a premium pick.

Houston could turn to the next tier of backs if that price is too rich. Two others that still project as potential three-down contributors, Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker and Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller, are likely late Round 2 or early Round 3 picks. Each were dynamic talents at the college level but concerns over Walker’s ability in the passing game and Spiller’s speed that make them less complete prospects than the previously mentioned Hall. Regardless, if selected at Nos. 68 or 80, their presence on the roster would slot either as the immediate top running back on the depth chart after Day 2.

Finally, Houston could bolster their defense & passing game by simply waiting until Day 3. At 107 or pick 108, a variety of names from the Senior Bowl are available and could contribute in more of a committee fashion with Marlon Mack and Burkhead. Tyler Badie from Missouri, although undersized, led the SEC in rushing in 2021. Arizona State’s Rachaad White is a dynamic home run threat that projects well to Pep Hamilton’s scheme. Alabama’s Brian Robinson and Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford are both tough, in between the tackle runners that were a huge part of fueling their teams into the College Football Playoff. The options are endless.

Whenever Houston decides to address running back, they’ll be in a great position to upgrade the room. Mack’s presence means they no longer have to force a selection they aren’t comfortable with. Hopefully Caserio doesn’t interpret it to mean more than that. 

Cincinnati RB Jerome Ford could make instant impact for the Texans

If the Houston Texans are looking for a running back to make a quick impact, Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford has to be at the top of the list.

It is no secret this offseason the Houston Texans are desperate for an influx of talent. After a 4-13 campaign that led that to the firing of former coach David Culley, the task is fully on general manager Nick Caserio to upgrade the roster if the next coach hopes to fare better in 2022.

This mandate comes at essentially every level of the offense and defense, in a perfect world Houston would have multiple new starters in 2022. Although there’s money to spend in free agency, there may be no better way to address some of these issues than through the draft.

One glaring hole in particular is running back, a position that historically can be found very easily in day two and day three of the draft. As of now, Rex Burkhead is the only returning back from 2021 with Scottie Phillips also in the fold. Luckily for Houston, it has been an amazing week for the running backs in particular.

The position group has done their best to outshine all others on offense and, while they lack a truly elite candidate such as the quarterbacks have with Malik Willis, the standouts have been obvious and many will expect to have their name called during April’s draft.

Enter Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford.

Ford is coming off of a senior year that featured 215 carries for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also caught 19 balls off only 21 targets for 220 yards. His workhorse season was a huge part of powering Cincinnati into the playoffs this year.

At the Senior Bowl, Ford has showed the best of his skillset. He’s shown excellent fluidity and cuts, with multiple excellent runs. Ford’s 5-11, 215-pound frame lends itself well to pass blocking and he’s done as well as such in Mobile. With some concerns about his ability to pass the ball, as seen by his relative lack of college production, he has also done his part to help ease those concerns this week. It’s been a good week for Ford.

At the podium, he’s shown a man who’s comfortable laughing and humble to be in a position to enter the national football team. Ford was extremely complementary of his Cincinnati teammates and talked openly about how his experience transferring helped his football career.

The Alabama transfer is just the sort of prospect that could help Houston. He currently is projected in the late third or fourth round and would represent a low cost, high opportunity investment for the Texans. Ford has both the durability to run between the tackles on first and second down and the pass blocking strength to protect Davis Mills in those situations.

A strong showing at the Senior Bowl has only boosted what was an incredible senior season. Houston shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on one of these backs if they’re available on day three come April.

5 takeaways from day one at the Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl is underway in Mobile. Here are five observations from the collegiate all-star game’s first day of practices.

Houston Texans assistant directors of player personnel Matt Bazirgan and James Liipfert have a big task ahead of them this offseason.

The Texans have four picks in the top-100 for the first time since 2019, including their top pick at No. 3 overall in the 2022 NFL draft. With the Texans seemingly safe at quarterback, they don’t necessarily need to devote all of their attention therein. However, the club needs to be on point at the other positions.

One of the preliminary events of the “underwear Olympics,” otherwise known as the predraft process, is the Senior Bowl. Practices kicked off for day one in Mobile. Here are five observations.