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Paris Ford

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JokePa

Sophomore
Dec 4, 2010
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I think most people would agree that watched Pitt play that Paris Ford was the most dynamic player on the defense. A defense which led the nation in sacks and top 10 overall.

He is a football player, ball hawk, always around the ball. Most teams threw away from him. Basically, he was a top player for a top defense. When he left our defense showed it.

His slip during the 40s on pro day cost him big but really he should have came back to school get bigger and stronger and more national attention. He lost a lot of money leaving. It’s even worse than Greg Lee or Dre Henderson cause neither of them really would have improved much. Ford clearly had the talent to get better.
 
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JokePa said:
I think most people would agree that watched Pitt play that Paris Ford was the most dynamic player on the defense. A defense which led the nation in sacks and top 10 overall.

He is a football player, ball hawk, always around the ball. Most teams threw away from him. Basically, he was a top player for a top defense. When he left our defense showed it.

His slip during the 40s on pro day cost him big but really he should have came back to school get bigger and stronger and more national attention. He lost a lot of money leaving. It’s even worse than Greg Lee or Dre Henderson cause neither of them really would have improved much. Ford clearly had the talent to get better.
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Its weird because the best decision would have been to leave after his RS Soph year but since he came back and wasnt good, he probably needed to come back to help his stock.
 
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Was it lack of work ethic with him? It’s funny if you look at the Pitt guys who were drafted most of them were very lowly rated recruits. But they all developed and became very good college players and got drafted. Ford was kind of the opposite as he was an elite recruit...although he was a pretty good college player as well.
 
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I hope he finds success, but maybe the coaches were right in not playing him early in college. Seems something is off.
 
JokePa said:
I think most people would agree that watched Pitt play that Paris Ford was the most dynamic player on the defense. A defense which led the nation in sacks and top 10 overall.

He is a football player, ball hawk, always around the ball. Most teams threw away from him. Basically, he was a top player for a top defense. When he left our defense showed it.

His slip during the 40s on pro day cost him big but really he should have came back to school get bigger and stronger and more national attention. He lost a lot of money leaving. It’s even worse than Greg Lee or Dre Henderson cause neither of them really would have improved much. Ford clearly had the talent to get better.
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Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver were the 2 best players. Do you forget how bad he was in the Notre Dame game. Hamlin was a better player also.
 
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Maybe I had a bias I couldn’t get rid of - but I thought Paris was more dynamic than Hamlin. He ain’t getting thrown out of NFL games that easy. That’s a steal as a FA. Just have to use him in spots coming downhill
 
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Slick Manager of Champs said:
I know but the NFL is hung up on those workout numbers
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I wish someone would put a list together where they figured out the average numbers per position. The players who over performed better numbers but did nothing and a list of guys who under performed but had stellar careers.
 
Mikefln said:
I wish someone would put a list together where they figured out the average numbers per position. The players who over performed better numbers but did nothing and a list of guys who under performed but had stellar careers.
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https://www.ourlads.com/nfl-draft-position-averages/

These #'s are just from the 2018 draft.

I don't know of any DB's who've ever performed consistently well with posting extremely poor measurables across the board.

Bryan Cox was known as a very slow LB when he ran his 40. He ran, I believe a 4.95. He was fortunate that he had great instincts and tenacity not to mention that he played in the 90's. He wouldn't have a position today.
 
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steelcurtain55. said:
https://www.ourlads.com/nfl-draft-position-averages/

These #'s are just from the 2018 draft.

I don't know of any DB's who've ever performed consistently well with posting extremely poor measurables across the board.

Bryan Cox was known as a very slow LB when he ran his 40. He ran, I believe a 4.95. He was fortunate that he had great instincts and tenacity not to mention that he played in the 90's. He wouldn't have a position today.
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Thank you. Singletary would not have a position either. And is considered one of the all time greats.
 
Mikefln said:
Thank you. Singletary would not have a position either. And is considered one of the all time greats.
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probably true...

With so many teams going to such wide open attacks, the ILB/MLB position has an identity crisis.

I'm a huge a NDSU fan and try to watch as many games as possible. The former OL coach up there now is at Buffalo. He said that the fact that they would run a refined 80's/90's offense played to their advantage because the LB's don't know how to fit against it like they did 20 years ago.
 
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steelcurtain55. said:
probably true...

With so many teams going to such wide open attacks, the ILB/MLB position has an identity crisis.

I'm a huge a NDSU fan and try to watch as many games as possible. The former OL coach up there now is at Buffalo. He said that the fact that they would run a refined 80's/90's offense played to their advantage because the LB's don't know how to fit against it like they did 20 years ago.
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I've been saying that for years. No is the best time to be a power football team. Defenses are not built to defend that anymore.
 
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PittPanther44 said:
Maybe I had a bias I couldn’t get rid of - but I thought Paris was more dynamic than Hamlin. He ain’t getting thrown out of NFL games that easy. That’s a steal as a FA. Just have to use him in spots coming downhill
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He was much more athletic, fluid and explosive than Hamlin, although Hamlin was a much smarter and more technically sound player. Throw out the pro day measurables and rely on your eyeballs. It wasn’t an illusion. Ford jumped off the page and made you take notice on Saturdays. Hamlin didn’t. No reflection on which is the better player, but certainly Ford is the better athlete.
 
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The problem with ignoring the numbers is no one with those workout numbers ever makes it at that position in the NFL no matter what they see on tape.
 
Burgh15 said:
The problem with ignoring the numbers is no one with those workout numbers ever makes it at that position in the NFL no matter what they see on tape.
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I don’t think it’s as much about ignoring the numbers but wondering why the numbers are so far off from his on field play.
 
Burgh15 said:
The problem with ignoring the numbers is no one with those workout numbers ever makes it at that position in the NFL no matter what they see on tape.
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Not ignoring them. Wondering why they were so bad. Was he out of shape? Hurt? Sick? Head up his ass? Had he been training hard? The guy was all over the field for Pitt, sideline to sideline, always around the ball, he had great range, a great burst, very fluid, and was good in one on one coverage once he figured out his assignments.

Honest question-before the pro day workouts, if you lined up Paris Ford, Hamlin and Pinnock to run 50 yards in your back yard, no stopwatch, who would you expect to win?

Ford was supposedly a 4.4 guy when he first came to Pitt. He looked every bit the part on Saturdays. He either wasn’t prepared for the workout or something was wrong with him, IMO. It’s no secret that he didn’t have the best character or brain in the world, it seems like he bought into his own hype a little too much.

Honestly it’s a real bummer that he and a Twyman opted out. I don’t thing it’s a stretch to say that was a disastrous decision for both of them. Another highly productive season of 1st team all-ACC and possible All American status would have put them in a very different draft position even if their pro day 40 times weren’t great.
 
JohnCPitt said:
Patrick Jones and Rashad Weaver were the 2 best players. Do you forget how bad he was in the Notre Dame game. Hamlin was a better player also.
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That’s nuts. Ford was clearly the most talented. Notre dame barely threw his way
 
thebadby2 said:
Not ignoring them. Wondering why they were so bad. Was he out of shape? Hurt? Sick? Head up his ass? Had he been training hard? The guy was all over the field for Pitt, sideline to sideline, always around the ball, he had great range, a great burst, very fluid, and was good in one on one coverage once he figured out his assignments.

Honest question-before the pro day workouts, if you lined up Paris Ford, Hamlin and Pinnock to run 50 yards in your back yard, no stopwatch, who would you expect to win?

Ford was supposedly a 4.4 guy when he first came to Pitt. He looked every bit the part on Saturdays. He either wasn’t prepared for the workout or something was wrong with him, IMO. It’s no secret that he didn’t have the best character or brain in the world, it seems like he bought into his own hype a little too much.

Honestly it’s a real bummer that he and a Twyman opted out. I don’t thing it’s a stretch to say that was a disastrous decision for both of them. Another highly productive season of 1st team all-ACC and possible All American status would have put them in a very different draft position even if their pro day 40 times weren’t great.
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Did you watch the tape of his work out? He sipped the first run and started late the second. And still slipped his back foot the second during his start
 
thebadby2 said:
Not ignoring them. Wondering why they were so bad. Was he out of shape? Hurt? Sick? Head up his ass? Had he been training hard? The guy was all over the field for Pitt, sideline to sideline, always around the ball, he had great range, a great burst, very fluid, and was good in one on one coverage once he figured out his assignments.

Honest question-before the pro day workouts, if you lined up Paris Ford, Hamlin and Pinnock to run 50 yards in your back yard, no stopwatch, who would you expect to win?

Ford was supposedly a 4.4 guy when he first came to Pitt. He looked every bit the part on Saturdays. He either wasn’t prepared for the workout or something was wrong with him, IMO. It’s no secret that he didn’t have the best character or brain in the world, it seems like he bought into his own hype a little too much.

Honestly it’s a real bummer that he and a Twyman opted out. I don’t thing it’s a stretch to say that was a disastrous decision for both of them. Another highly productive season of 1st team all-ACC and possible All American status would have put them in a very different draft position even if their pro day 40 times weren’t great.
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I would expect Pinnock to win that race.
 
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TheChair said:
I would expect Pinnock to win that race.
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Before Pitt pro-day? I don’t believe you.

Pinnock was a solid corner but his playing speed was never impressive. Many times he was a couple steps behind on deep routes to the outside by opposing receivers, and did not appear to have the closing speed to make up ground. Hamlin’s playing speed was unremarkable as well. Ford’s jumped off the page. When Ford got burned, it was usually a matter of over-committing or being out of position versus getting out-athleted.

Again, my point is not that Ford is a better football player than the others, although it’s certainly arguable-my point is his pro day numbers don’t match what I watched with my own two eyes on the field. I’m wondering why that is.
 
thebadby2 said:
Before Pitt pro-day? I don’t believe you.

Pinnock was a solid corner but his playing speed was never impressive. Many times he was a couple steps behind on deep routes to the outside by opposing receivers, and did not appear to have the closing speed to make up ground. Hamlin’s playing speed was unremarkable as well. Ford’s jumped off the page. When Ford got burned, it was usually a matter of over-committing or being out of position versus getting out-athleted.

Again, my point is not that Ford is a better football player than the others, although it’s certainly arguable-my point is his pro day numbers don’t match what I watched with my own two eyes on the field. I’m wondering why that is.
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I tend to agree with you on most of this stuff. But, even before the combine, I would have told you Pinnock was faster than either guy. It may not be by much, but it is just a different position and demand.

As far as on the field, as 2020 gained speed, I started to think that Hamlin was potentially the best of the three. It took more time to really appreciate him, but he played that particular safety position better than anyone else Narduzzi has had and it is probably the hardest position in that defense.

Ford closed on tackles better than any Panther I could remember in a long time (it is funny, because last year Dennis also entered that elite category in my eyes). That said, I cannot remember anyone more sound as a tackler than Hamlin. He made a lot of great plays too. They were just not as flashy.

I think Ford plays like a warrior. He is a player. His pro day numbers do not match what you saw because he messed up his preparation in all likelihood. And, he probably just plays faster than he times even when he is prepared.
 
TheChair said:
I tend to agree with you on most of this stuff. But, even before the combine, I would have told you Pinnock was faster than either guy. It may not be by much, but it is just a different position and demand.

As far as on the field, as 2020 gained speed, I started to think that Hamlin was potentially the best of the three. It took more time to really appreciate him, but he played that particular safety position better than anyone else Narduzzi has had and it is probably the hardest position in that defense.

Ford closed on tackles better than any Panther I could remember in a long time (it is funny, because last year Dennis also entered that elite category in my eyes). That said, I cannot remember anyone more sound as a tackler than Hamlin. He made a lot of great plays too. They were just not as flashy.

I think Ford plays like a warrior. He is a player. His pro day numbers do not match what you saw because he messed up his preparation in all likelihood. And, he probably just plays faster than he times even when he is prepared.
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Jordan Whitehead is one who comes to mind when I think of great tackling DBs for Pitt.
 
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I don;t know what happened on the pro day but watching Ford play in 2019, he played fast on the field. VT had a running QB and Ford cut across the secondary to tackle him before the end zone. Ford was moving and hits hard for being undersized. Plays with an edge. He'll be alright.
 
JokePa said:
I think most people would agree that watched Pitt play that Paris Ford was the most dynamic player on the defense. A defense which led the nation in sacks and top 10 overall.

He is a football player, ball hawk, always around the ball. Most teams threw away from him. Basically, he was a top player for a top defense. When he left our defense showed it.

His slip during the 40s on pro day cost him big but really he should have came back to school get bigger and stronger and more national attention. He lost a lot of money leaving. It’s even worse than Greg Lee or Dre Henderson cause neither of them really would have improved much. Ford clearly had the talent to get better.
Click to expand...

Yeah I didn't see that version of Ford this season in the few games he played before quitting....
 
CougarClaws said:
Yeah I didn't see that version of Ford this season in the few games he played before quitting....
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Yes that’s why I mentioned for people that actually watched the games. He had the most tackles per game and interceptions per game, led dbacks in the ACC in tackles for losses, and all this while teams threw to his receiver 3rd fewest in the ACC.
Him quitting along with Twyman are obviously bad and should be ridiculed, but clearly they were the top players and that’s why they did opt out. They were getting the buzz
 
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TheChair said:
I tend to agree with you on most of this stuff. But, even before the combine, I would have told you Pinnock was faster than either guy. It may not be by much, but it is just a different position and demand.

As far as on the field, as 2020 gained speed, I started to think that Hamlin was potentially the best of the three. It took more time to really appreciate him, but he played that particular safety position better than anyone else Narduzzi has had and it is probably the hardest position in that defense.

Ford closed on tackles better than any Panther I could remember in a long time (it is funny, because last year Dennis also entered that elite category in my eyes). That said, I cannot remember anyone more sound as a tackler than Hamlin. He made a lot of great plays too. They were just not as flashy.

I think Ford plays like a warrior. He is a player. His pro day numbers do not match what you saw because he messed up his preparation in all likelihood. And, he probably just plays faster than he times even when he is prepared.
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Would be great to see him make it count in LA. This camp is his future.
 
JokePa said:
Did you watch the tape of his work out? He sipped the first run and started late the second. And still slipped his back foot the second during his start
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I didn’t see any of his workout. Just the posted numbers.
 
JokePa said:
Did you watch the tape of his work out? He sipped the first run and started late the second. And still slipped his back foot the second during his start
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He had 5 months to prepare and it's not like the 40 is something that isn't important for a DB. It's not like he ran somewhere he wasn't used to either.

It's 100% on him for not practicing it so much he could run it in his sleep. Apparently it wasn't that important to him.
 
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