Dee Ford, Defensive End: Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report
Dec 7, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback James Franklin (1) is taken down by Auburn Tigers defensive end Dee Ford (30) during the fourth quarter of the 2013 SEC Championship game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Dee Ford is coming off a very impressive 2013 campaign with the SEC champion, Auburn Tigers. Ford stands at 6’2, 243 pounds, making him a bit undersized in some scouts eyes but he’s made up for size with speed. With a possible departure of Tyson Jackson, Dee Ford could possibly be a good fit for Kansas City along their front seven.
Dee Ford Pro-Day Results:
- 40-yard dash- 4.53 seconds
- Bench Press- 29 reps
- Vertical Jump- 35 1/2 inches
- Broad Jump- 10 feet 4 inches
(Courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com)
As you can see, Ford is an athletic freak. He was held from performing in the combine for precautionary reasons stemming from a 2011 surgery for a herniated disc in his lower back. But that didn’t stop him from opening his mouth during his presser in Indy where he claimed to be “better” than Jadeveon Clowney, one of the top prospects in all of this years draft class. As you can see from his work out results at his pro day, he wasn’t that far off athletically.
As mentioned before, Ford really made his presence felt last year when he recorded 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and a strong performance in the National Chamionship game. Kansas City has lacked a solid pass rush from their defensive ends, even after spending two top five picks on guys to find it. Several scouts have him falling as far as 27th, making him a real possibility for the Chiefs.
NFLdraftscout.com says that ford,
"“Fluid athlete with impressive burst, agility and underrated strength. As his size suggests, Ford relies on his burst off the snap to gain the corner against offensive tackles. He accelerates smoothly and is flexible enough to bend around the corner as a pure speed rusher”"
That’s exactly what the Chiefs would be looking for. A pure speed rusher that could play stand-up, or defensive end for the defense. In a division that features Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning, you could never have enough players that could rush the passer. However, though he is viewed as a top pass rusher, he does have his flaws.
NFLdraftscout.com continues,
"Lacks the size and leverage ability to routinely hold his ground at the point of attack against tackles, when asked to defend the run. Lacks consistent rep experience dropping into coverage and may have a learning curve there at the next level, where he’ll need to show an ability to contribute if he hopes to be an every-down NFL player."
That’s a bit of the problem when it comes to scouting Lee for the Chiefs. If they’re going to spend a first round choice on defensive line again, they had better make sure he can play every down.
Kansas City has spent a lot of picks over the last ten years trying to build a defensive line. They finally have seemed to hit a home run with Dontari Poe, but I would personally like to see them focus on defensive backs and receivers. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a void to fill if the Chiefs do let Jackson walk, but I don’t see the Chiefs taking ford at number 23 overall.
What are your thoughts? Should the Chiefs take a close look at Dee Ford or defensive line in general? Comment below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the best content on all things KC sports related.