New York Giants 7 Round Mock Draft: Filling post-free agency needs with elite talent
By Ryan Messick
Round 4, Pick No. 138: Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
In his four-year collegiate career, Ford averaged an impressive 6.1 yards per carry with Alabama and Cincinnati.
Last year in his final season, Ford finally got the lion’s share of the carries for his team and ripped off 1,319 yards on 215 attempts for 6.1 yards per carry. Throw 19 touchdowns on top of that, as well as 21 receptions for 220 yards and a score, and you’ve got the makings of a very impressive season.
The fact that someone as physically gifted as Ford can be available in the mid-rounds is one of the key reasons I don’t like using early picks in the backfield. Ford is 5’10.5, 209 pounds, and ran a 4.46 40.
His scouting report on NFL Draft Buzz reads like he’s a future star, with the “perfect combination of speed, explosion to run outside, and the size and power to run off tackle.” They also hail his receiving skills out of the backfield and call him a “strong interior runner.” The consensus among numerous scouting reports seems to be that his pass protection needs to improve and his instincts and abilities to find a running lane could use improvement.
It sounds to me like he could do quite well behind a strong offensive line, which makes him a good fit on the team being built through this New York Giants mock draft.