3 Texas football players with stock on the rise in fall practice

Jaylan Ford, LB

A projected starter that seems to be getting better and better as the offseason moves along is another former underrated three-star recruit and junior linebacker Jaylan Ford. Texas looks to have their set-in-stone starter at the middle linebacker position for the 2022 season in Ford.

It goes without saying that Ford could be a massive difference-maker for this defensive unit if he’s able to step up and become one of the most effective players along this front seven in 2022. Ford showed flashes of what he could do as the full-time starting middle linebacker when he got most of the starting reps at the position in the back half of last season.

And with a full offseason of preparation and film study in the same scheme at the same position, the continuity of late really seems to be helping Ford blossom into a true impact player at middle linebacker.

We can’t keep hearing anything but positive reviews about the strides Ford made with this linebacker room since spring ball. It sounds like Ford could be the glue that Texas needs along this defensive front as an off-ball linebacker that can effectively stop the run while having the ability to quickly diagnose plays in the box.

From what we’re hearing coming out of the first week or so of fall practice is that Texas has a true top linebacker duo forming that could lead this defensive front between Ford and super senior DeMarvion Overshown. If these two upperclassmen at the position can have career seasons, respectively, then this Texas defense is bound to improve as an entire unit this fall compared to last year.