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Saints Grab Texas Linebacker With Their Final Fifth-Round Pick

Jaylan Ford is the newest Saints player, as New Orleans used their 170th overall pick to get the Texas linebacker

John Hendrix

Texas Longhorns linebacker Jaylan Ford (41) celebrates a defensive stop during the Sugar Bowl
Texas Longhorns linebacker Jaylan Ford (41) celebrates a defensive stop during the Sugar Bowl / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /
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Assuming a trade doesn't materialize, the Saints used their final fifth-round pick on Day 3 to take Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford at 170th overall.

QUICK THOUGHTS: Ford is more of an inside linebacker upon first glance and was a real tackle machine for the Longhorns last season. He finished with 101 tackles, which included 10.5 for loss. He was a Dick Butkus Award semifinalist, and had a sack, two interceptions, two pass breakups and forced a fumble. He'll give you strong run support and can also cover. He figures to be someone who will earn his bread and butter on special teams at first, but with Michael Hodges coaching him, that could unlock a lot for the Texas linebacker.

KEY NEEDS: WR, DT, OL, TE, DB

Draft Profile Notes (from Daniel Jeremiah)

Two-year starting linebacker with good size and athleticism but average speed and below-average instincts. Ford’s tackle count is almost evenly split between solo and assisted, which is a little unusual for an inside linebacker with multiple opportunities to play the role of sheriff. He lacks ideal anticipation to mirror the pathway of running backs and tends to be too impacted by encounters with blockers. He pursues the ball with good pace and has become a steady tackler in the open field. Ford has great hands and third-down value but might lack the consistency needed to stick on a roster long term.

Remaining Saints Picks

  • Round 6, 199th Overall (via PHI)
  • Round 7, 239th Overall (via DEN)

2024 Saints Draft Picks

  • Round 1, 14th Overall - Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
  • Round 2, 41st Overall - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
  • Round 5, 150th Overall - Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
  • Round 5, 170th Overall - Bub Means, WR, Pitt

Saints Draft Coverage (Video)

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John Hendrix

JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net