The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
Jaylan Ford
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Hometown:
- Frisco, Texas
- Weight:
- 230
- Class:
- Sophomore
- High School:
- Lone Star
- Major:
- Communication and Leadership
A four-year linebacker who played in 49 games with 29 starts ... named a 2022 third-team All-American by the Associated Press ... a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2022 and 2023 ... had four interceptions in 2022 to tie for the Texas season record for a linebacker, last accomplished by Derrick Johnson in 2002 and 2003 ... tabbed the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2021 … made his debut versus UTEP in 2020 ... a two-time all-state honoree who led Lone Star to the state semifinals in 2019 ... 2020-21 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team honoree ... three-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2020, spring 2021, spring 2023).
SENIOR (2023)
Butkus Award semifinalist … a first-team All-Big 12 selection by Big 12 Conference head coaches, the Associated Press, and Phil Steele … a Phil Steele honorable mention All-America selection … named to the USA Today All-Big 12 Team … tabbed All-Texas Second Team by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … appeared in and started all 14 games … totaled 101 tackles (46 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six quarterback hurries and two pass breakups … became the first Longhorn with back-to-back 100-tackle seasons since Keenan Robinson in 2010-11 … had at least five tackles in 13 games and 7-plus in nine games … had five tackles (one solo) and one interception against Rice … marked his fifth career interception, the fourth Longhorn linebacker to achieve the feat … was his seventh takeaway over the last eight games … collected five tackles (two solo) and one tackle for loss at No. 3 Alabama … made seven tackles (four solo) with one TFL against Wyoming … registered eight tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss and one interception at Baylor … was a his eighth over the last 11 games, including all six interceptions … named the Reese’s Senior Bowl National Defensive Player of the Week … had seven tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss and one QB hurry against Kansas … tallied eight tackles (three solo), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry … posted six tackles (two solo), a season-high 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble at Houston … had a season-high 11 tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries against BYU … registered eight tackles (four solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and recovered one fumble against Kansas State … recorded nine tackles (seven solo) and one pass breakup at TCU … made six tackles (three solo) at Iowa State … had eight tackles, half a tackle for loss, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries against Texas Tech … made three tackles (two solo) against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game … named to the Lombardi Award midseason watch list … Reese’s Senior Bowl invitee … the Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Preseason All-Big 12 ... named to the preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award, Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Lombardi Award, Lonestar Player of the Year and Reese's Senior Bowl ... selected a first-team Preseason All-American by The Athletic ... chosen second-team Preseason All-American by The Sporting News and Phil Steele ... named to the Preseason All-America Third Team by Athlon Sports ... selected Preseason All-Big First Team by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele ... named Preseason All-Texas Best Linebacker and first-team Preseason All-Big 12 by Dave Campbell's Texas Football.
JUNIOR (2022)
Named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press … a first-team All-Big 12 Selection by both the Big 12 Conference head coaches and the Associated Press … the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Defensive Player of the Year … played in 13 games with 12 starts ... totaled a career-high 119 tackles (61 solo), 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four interceptions, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups ... had 10 tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss, his first career sack and one quarterback hurry … registered career highs with 15 tackles, 10 solo tackles and one forced fumble and notched half a sack versus UTSA … recorded 12 tackles (eight solo), one tackle for loss and one forced fumble at Texas Tech … had 14 tackles (seven solo) and one tackle for loss against West Virginia … made seven tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss and had one pass breakup in a shutout of Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown … registered eight tackles (two solo), one fumble recovery and had his first career interception against Iowa State … tabbed the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Cyclones …recorded six tackles (four solo), two tackles for loss and one sack at Oklahoma State … made 10 tackles (six solo), had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and an interception return for 18 yards at Kansas State … netted Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his standout performance against the Wildcats … tallied nine tackles (three solo) and half a sack against TCU … made five solo tackles and had a 12-yard interception return at Kansas … registered 13 tackles (two solo), two tackles for loss, one quarterback hurry, one pass breakup and an 18-yard interception return against Baylor … his interception against the Bears marked his fourth of the season, tying the single-season interception record for a Texas linebacker, last accomplished by Derrick Johnson in 2002 and 2003 … earned his third Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor for his efforts against Baylor, becoming the third Longhorn to earn the accolade three times in the same season (Derrick Johnson, ’04; Jackson Jeffcoat, ’13) … totaled 10 tackles (five solo) against Washington in the Alamo Bowl ... marked his seventh game with 10-plus tackles this season and the eighth of his career ... totaled 119 tackles this season, the most for a Longhorn since 2014 (Jordan Hicks - 147; Steve Edmond - 131) ... all four of his interceptions set up Texas touchdowns.
SOPHOMORE (2021)
Played in all 12 games with two starts … registered 53 tackles (29 solo) with a team-leading six tackles for loss … had three tackles (one solo) in Texas’ season-opening win versus Louisiana … tallied for tackles at Arkansas … had two tackles against Rice … notched four tackles versus Texas Tech … recorded three solo tackles at TCU … made one tackle in the Red River Showdown versus Oklahoma … collected a career-high 12 tackles (seven solo) with one tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry against Oklahoma State … made three solo tackles at Baylor … had four tackles (two solo) and a TFL at Iowa State … total six tackles (three solo) with a tackle for loss versus Kansas … made five tackles (three solo) including one TFL at West Virginia … recorded six solo tackles and two tackles for loss against Kansas State.
FRESHMAN (2020)
Played in all 10 games, contributing primarily on special teams ... started in the Valero Alamo Bowl versus Colorado ... logged 14 tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss ... recorded three tackles (two solo) in his debut versus UTEP ... recorded a career-high seven tackles (two solo) and one tackle for loss in the regular season finale at Kansas State ... posted four tackles in the Alamo Bowl win over Colorado.
HIGH SCHOOL
A two-time all-state honoree who led Lone Star to the state semifinals this year ... ranked No. 112 overall in Texas by Rivals ... No. 988 nationally, No. 71 at outside linebacker, and No. 123 overall in Texas according to 247Sports ... rated No. 102 at outside linebacker and No. 156 overall in Texas by ESPN ... ranked No. 51 in the SportsDay’s Top 100 Recruits by the Dallas Morning News ... named second-team 5A All-State in 2019 ... amassed 142 tackles (115 solo), including 11 tackles for loss, one sack, six pressures, one interception, one pass breakup and one forced fumble as a senior ... part of a defense that allowed just 15.7 points per game, including six games of seven points or fewer with two shutouts ... helped Lone Star to a 14-1 overall record, including a 7-0 district mark and title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 1 state semifinals in 2019 ... named third-team 2019 Super Team and to the Texas Top 300 by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... earned honorable mention 5A All-State honors in 2018 ... named Defensive MVP of District 5-5A Division 1 ... complied 105 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, with eight pass breakups, three forced fumbles and three interceptions as a junior ... part of a defense that allowed just 11.3 points per game, including 31 total points in their first six games, two of which were on a safety, and seven total games of seven points or fewer ... helped Lone Star to a 10-3 overall record, including a 6-1 district mark, and an appearance in 5A Division 1 regional playoffs in 2018 ... tabbed the District 13-5A Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017 ... part of a defense that allowed just 13.1 points per game, including four shutouts, as a sophomore ... helped Lone Star to a 12-2 overall record, including a 7-0 district mark and title, and an appearance in the 5A Division 2 quarterfinals in 2017.
