Dee Ford's first step

[Strongside]

We've all seen the videos and gifs of this kid in college looking like he's being shot out of a cannon when the ball is snapped. I had wondered whether or not it would translate to the next level. Sometimes the snap is a bit easier to time in College than it is in the pros.

To be honest, Ford's college film looks eerily similar to how Derrick Thomas used to 'load up' just before the ball was snapped in anticipation. DT had a freakish knack for timing the snap of the ball and being 2 steps to the quarterback before the Tackle/TE/RB or whatever unfortunate soul was attempting to block him had a chance to react.

Ford, until last Sunday, had been asked to drop back in coverage a lot in his reps. This week, we were able to see him get to rush the passer. Dee made a couple of big, disruptive plays, including a huge 4th down tackle for a loss. I did come across this gif, that I absolutely love.

Ford 'loads up' just as Thomas used to right as the ball is about to be snapped and then literally blasts across the line of scrimmage with seemingly inhuman straight-line speed for a man of his size. Obviously, he's still a work in progress and needs to round out his game...but I think this guy is going to be a staple and cornerstone of this team for years to come. (Also, for reaction comparison, and probably an indictment on his age, watch Tamba's rush in contrast to Ford's. ha.)