JF #53

Jaylan Ford

Linebacker · Texas

A tackling machine from Texas who tied a Longhorns linebacker interception record before a broken fibula slowed the start of his Saints career.

Jaylan Ford was one of the most productive linebackers in the Big 12 during his time at Texas, twice earning first-team all-conference honors. A fifth-round pick of the Saints in 2024, his rookie season was cut short by a serious leg injury, and he spent 2025 working his way back onto the field.

★ Fifth-round pick (175th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft

★ First-team All-Big 12 in 2022 and 2023

★ Tied Texas's single-season interception record for a linebacker (4, in 2022)

★ 287 career tackles at Texas

Path to the league

Ford started 29 of 49 games across four seasons at Texas, breaking out in 2022 with 119 tackles, four interceptions, and third-team All-American honors, then following it up with 101 tackles and another first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior in 2023. The Saints drafted him in the fifth round (175th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Ford's four interceptions in 2022 tied the Texas single-season record for a linebacker, a mark previously shared with program great Derrick Johnson, and he finished his college career with 287 total tackles. He earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition in both 2022 and 2023.

2025 season recap

Ford's rookie 2024 season ended early when he suffered a fractured fibula in Week 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders after playing mostly on special teams. He returned to full health for 2025, appearing in all 17 games and recording 11 combined tackles as he continues working toward a bigger role in the Saints' linebacker rotation.