Pick 24, Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma
A high floor high ceiling prospect, Cody Ford, would fill a need at guard to round out a potentially dangerous offensive line for the Raiders.
This past year the offensive line wasn’t dangerous for anyone not named Derek Carr, but with a record signing of free agent offensive tackle Trent Brown, it looks as though the Raiders are building to fix this. Cody Ford, a mauling, nasty blocker could be the man to fill the hole left by the trade of left guard Kelechi Osemele. While Ford played the entirety of the 2018 season at right tackle, he boasts the tape and athletic traits to project as an even better guard prospect.
Power is the name of the game with Ford. He showcased good hand placement when setting blocks and mean finish when completing them. His impressive play strength means that once he gets his hands on you in pass protection it’s generally over. In the run game his power is highlighted again, able to create movement at the point of attack with ease, as well as seal and anchor showing his rotational strength.
Oklahoma RT Cody Ford is nastyyy! pic.twitter.com/lU2tbBHsvX
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) December 28, 2018
Ford displays the best finish of any offensive line prospect in the draft. After trading Osemele it would be great to bring in someone just as nasty.
https://twitter.com/MichaelKistNFL/status/1094047791452688384
The block doesn’t stop when the defender is on the ground in Ford’s mind, inflicts punishment on this EDGE. This attitude invites a timid rush.
Ford’s as athletic as it gets for an offensive lineman prospect even with his massive size, an important trait for the Raiders indicated by last year’s draft (Kolton Miller, Brandon Parker). This athleticism allows the Raiders to fully execute a variety of blocking schemes, and gives Offensive Line Coach Tom Cable every opportunity to implement his run-blocking system.
Cody Ford is also valuable due to his versatility, he has experience both inside at guard and at the tackle position meaning he could help across the line if required. His football IQ is also impressive considering him only starting at tackle for a year, this indicates he’s a quick learner and will improve under NFL tutelage. Playing next to two-time Pro Bowler Rodney Hudson will only help develop his mental game.
Cody Ford does have some wrinkles he will need to iron out to reach his huge potential. His dominant strength and athleticism have allowed him to play with poor balance and leverage, something which would be exploited at the next level. He can allow players to get beneath his pads being too upright which may lead to him being on the receiving end of one of those nasty finishes. Ford also needs to work on his timing, he too easily exposes his chest letting the rush come to him and allowing rushers to take control. He gets more aggressive in his pass sets, which he may be more comfortable doing as a guard, not only will his protection be more consistent, but also more intimidating.
Cody Ford’s agility is off the charts. Dude is an elite athlete. pic.twitter.com/Bfyg3BCGuj
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) December 10, 2018
Is more active in this pass set, allows him to make full use of his athletic gifts.
Picking Cody Ford here would give Cable absolutely no excuses in bringing the Raiders offensive line back to league dominance.