Dee Ford is not backing down.The flashy defensive end out of Auburn will enjoy his night with friends and family, and his expectation of a first-round selection in the NFL Draft. Tonight, Ford believes, serves as a brief coronation after impressing scouts in the offseason at the Senior Bowl and in workouts."Our family has been through a lot and it's just another opportunity to excel for my family," Ford said. "It means a lot for me, but it's just clarification to get to work for me. It's not a time for me to celebrate. It's a time for me to get more motivated. I've got more to achieve."Whether Ford, who co-led the SEC in sacks last season, is picked late in the first round remains to be seen. He's on the fringe in many mock drafts, and many still believe he will be picked in the second round on Day 2."I've been hearing about first round. I never hear anything about second round," Ford said. "Maybe that's just all I hear."Ford utilizes his strength and speed to maneuver around tackles, but there are questions about his durability and consistency defending the run. Some scouts see him as a linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, but after the NFL Combine in February several teams expressed interest in keeping him at end."He's versatile enough to fit at either," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said on the eve of the draft. "He's so explosive. He was one of the best pass rushers in our league, if not our best, so he's got a chance to be a really good player at the next level. He's a tough guy."The 6-foot-2, 252-pound Ford also likes to talk. South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney might be the best prospect in the draft, but Ford believes he's a better pass rusher than Clowney."You can see these things on film. Go watch the film," Ford said at the NFL Combine. "It's a lot of intangibles you need to have to be a great player, you can't just look at the fact he's a physical specimen. I think the NFL should have learned about that by now."Ford has not backed down from his comments, either. He strengthened his case with a strong performance at Auburn's pro day after he was scratched from workouts at the combine when doctors discovered an issue stemming from a back surgery he had in 2011. The issue was not serious.Ford visited the Houston Texans, who examined his back, after the combine. He has since worked out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. The New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals have also expressed strong interest in possibly drafting him."The biggest thing is the off-the-field intangibles that they love the most," Ford said. "All the crap I talk is actually true, you know? All teams are really loving me and I've just moved that much higher on their board. Things are looking lovely, man."
Jake Holland has no illusions about his place in the NFL Draft process.The former Auburn linebacker, a three-year starter at middle linebacker, knows he's not likely auditioning to hear his name called in May, knows it's a long-shot for him to be drafted.All Holland wants is a shot."As of right now, I don't see myself getting drafted," Holland said. "It's working to see, after the draft, how early can a team call me and say, hey, we want you to come work out with us."Holland, who first got a chance to showcase his skills at the College All-Star Bowl in Greenville, S.C. in mid-January, headed into Auburn's Pro Day on Tuesday knowing he had a lot to prove in terms of athleticism."This, right here, was really my biggest interview," Holland said. "I talked to a couple of guys, they wanted to see what my times were. I felt like I put up some pretty good numbers right now."Holland, a Pelham native, measured in at a shade over 6 feet and 237 pounds, turned in a 4.70-second 40-yard dash, a time that would have tied him for third at the NFL Combine among inside linebackers with California's Khairi Fortt.On the bench press, Holland did 20 repetitions, and along with his vertical jump and broad jump, the other two numbers released by Auburn -- the school didn't release shuttle times -- that figure placed him somewhere in the middle of the pack.So far, Holland feels like he's made a good impression, leading his team in tackles at the College All-Star Bowl and proving that he can play either inside linebacker or outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense. At the College All-Star Bowl, Holland spoke to a couple of teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers, in preliminary meetings, although he said he hasn't received a formal interview yet.Holland's not a pure pass rusher, so his best fit in a 3-4 would be on the inside after making 46 tackles as a senior in Auburn's 4-2-5."Versatility is a benefit to me," Holland said. "In the All-Star Game I played in, I played a little Will linebacker, just to show that I can play both, and I was pretty productive out there, too."Holland has thought about the possibility that his time in football might be coming to a close. He's still taking classes in building science, the field he'll pursue whenever his football days are over.Before that happens, though, Holland plans to pursue an NFL opportunity with everything he's got."As of right now, my focus is to get to the NFL," Holland said.
Any specials if there are 3 Auburn players picked in the first round?
i received an insider text this morning indicating Robinson to the Rams. Pick #2, overall.
I'm thinking Ford goes in the 1st.
If he drops below 2, I'll be shocked. Still holding out the glimmer of hope Houston takes him.The Saints are going to take Ford 27th if the Bengals don't take him one pick earlier.
I'll be sitting up all night waiting for the call from the Cowboys to come for AJ. That's what people in South Alabama who know AJ are predicting.
If Dallas doesn't go defense, defense, defense with every pick in the draft, the league ought to take the team away from Jones.
Not till he says something racist.
Oh....Naggers. Of course.
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