2021 NFL Draft Profile: Pitt SS Paris Ford

Steel Valley alum and Pitt strong safety Paris Ford is a hard-hitting defender with the ball skills to help an NFL defense.

Ford earned All-ACC second team honors for the 2020 season, despite only playing seven games before opting out. In those seven games, he racked up 45 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and three interceptions.

He redshirted as a freshman in 2017 and saw little playing time as a cornerback in 2018. He switched to safety in 2019 and had a breakout season in which he tallied 97 tackles, 11 pass breakups, three interceptions and three forced fumbles and earned first team All-ACC and third team All-American honors. However, his draft stock was not helped by his decision to opt out or his performance at Pitt’s pro day.

Pro Day Results

Height: 6-foot inches

Weight: 197 pounds

40: 4.9 seconds

10-yard split: 1.56 seconds

3-cone: 7.65 seconds

Broad jump: 9-foot, 2-inches

Vertical: 28.5 inches

Draft Projection

Most draft projections have Ford going on Day 3 if at all, which is astonishing considering that he was considered by some as a possible late first-rounder before opting out. Here is the progression of his ranking charted by NFL Mock Draft Database: