While most people are talking about players like Jadeveon Clowney and Johnny Manziel at the NFL Scouting Combine, guys like Auburn defensive end Dee Ford feel that they are flying under the radar. Ford recorded 10.5 sacks last season and established himself as one of the best pass rushers in the country. Clowney, who faced a lot more double-teams, finished the year with only three sacks.
Ford will likely be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft in May, but he won’t be drafted ahead of Clowney. He thinks he should be, as he stated in an interview with Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on SiriusXM over the weekend.
“I’m better. Let’s put it like this — people like to talk about size all the time. Size is pretty much overrated in my eyes,” Ford said, via Eye on College Football. “You can look at guys like Robert Mathis, Elvis Dumervil,Von Miller. These are 6-2 guys and under. People are just looking at the fact that (Clowney is) a physical specimen. Honestly if you watch the film, he plays like a blind dog in a meat market basically.
“I play with a lot of technique. I watch a lot of film. These are the things I do and it shows up.”
In other words, Ford feels that Clowney relies strictly on his freak athleticism. He may be right to an extent, but you can’t teach size, speed and strength. That’s why NFL teams tend to focus on those things and assume they can refine a player’s game when needed.
Clowney ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine on Monday, which is incredible for a 275-pound lineman. That said, even his college coach has raised questions about his work ethic. Clowney will either be boom or bust in the NFL. Someone like Ford could be a steal later in the first round.
