Miami Hurricanes DT Jon Ford drafted by Green Bay Packers | Miami Herald

The streak continues.

On Saturday, University of Miami defensive tackle and Fort Lauderdale Dillard grad Jonathan Ford, a 6-5, 338-pound mountain of a man when he plugged up the middle of the defensive line for the Hurricanes, made sure of that.

Ford, who wasn’t even included in mock drafts by NFL analysts, was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 13th pick of the seventh and final round — 234th overall.

The selection ensured that the Hurricanes have had at least one player taken in each draft since 1975 — 48 consecutive drafts. Before Saturday, the last time only one UM player was drafted was in 2009, when linebacker Spencer Adkins went in the sixth round to the Atlanta Falcons. Before that, you’d have to go back to 1982 when receiver Mike Rodrigue went to the Dolphins in the 12th round.

Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, however, 10 others never heard their names called, including Miami record-breaking receiver Charleston Rambo and hard-hitting safety Bubba Bolden, the only two Canes included in analysts’ mock drafts.

Despite his huge physical attributes — his arm length measured 36 3/8 inches at the NFL Pro Scouting Combine — Ford, a 2017 signee, did not have nearly as much production as most would have thought.

Ford had a quiet fifth-year senior season in 2021 with 14 tackles, half a tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry. In 2020, he started nine of his 10 games and amassed 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

“Six-five and [338] pounds, you expected more production from Jonathan Ford,’’ said ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. “Size, enough athleticism, should be in that backfield wreaking havoc on a more consistent basis. That wasn’t the case. At Miami you see flashes, you don’t see the consistent production. That’s why he’s still on the board despite having pretty good physical ability.’’

In 2019, Ford started all 13 games and had 18 tackles, with 3 1/2 tackles for loss and three sacks. He also had a forced fumble.

Former Miami coach Manny Diaz compared the defensive tackle to an unopened Christmas gift when he became the last freshman player to arrive at fall camp in August 2017. “You had one left under the tree,’’ Diaz said then about the three-star prospect.

Diaz said before the 2019 season, after former UM star Gerald Willis had departed, that “for different guys, the light comes on at different moments. For Jon, it was this past spring practice. And boy, when that light came on it came on in a big way.

“Sometimes you look around and you’re one of the young guys. Then, all of a sudden you look around and you’re like, ‘Wow. I’m one of the older guys.’ We always though he had the tools to be a big-time, 4-3 Miami defensive tackle.’’

But Ford’s numbers did not seem to reflect what gifts he possessed. Ford ran the 40-yard dash in 5.45 seconds March 30 at UM’s Pro Day, which would have been the second-slowest time among defensive tackles at the combine in Indianapolis, according to The Athletic.

He said he returned in 2021 “to come back to help this team get to a championship level.’’

The championship never happened, but Ford’s dream of playing in the NFL has just begun.

Undrafted Canes

Rambo, an Oklahoma transfer who broke UM’s single-season records for receiving yards (1,172 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games, a 97.7-yard average) and receptions (79 catches) in 2021, will sign as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers, a source told the Miami Herald shortly after the draft.

And UM record-breaking receiver Mike Harley Jr. will sign as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns.

Former star quarterback D’Eriq King is heading to the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

Other undrafted Hurricanes expected to sign as free agents or be invited to NFL camps include Bolden, who ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and had a team-best 74 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss, one sack, an interception and four forced fumbles in his best season in 2020; as well as defensive end Zach McCloud, defensive end Deandre Johnson, running back Cam’Ron Harris, safety Amari Carter and offensive linemen Jarrid Williams and Navaughn Donaldson.

This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 6:11 PM.