Jacoby Ford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jacoby Ford

Ford with the Oakland Raiders
No. 12
Position:	Wide receiver Return specialist
Personal information
Born:	(1987-07-27) July 27, 1987 (age 37) West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:	Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, Florida)
College:	Clemson
NFL Draft:	2010 / Round: 4 / Pick: 108
Career history
Oakland Raiders (2010–2013) New York Jets (2014)* Tennessee Titans (2015)* Edmonton Eskimos (2016)* Montreal Alouettes (2016)* Saskatchewan Roughriders (2017–2018)*
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 57 Receiving yards: 848 Rushing attempts: 19 Rushing yards: 201 Return yards: 1,951 Total touchdowns: 9
Player stats at PFR

Jacoby Ford (born July 27, 1987) is a former American football player. He was known for being a very fast wide receiver and return specialist. He played for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL.

Ford was picked by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. Before playing professional football, he was also a talented track and field athlete. He played college football at Clemson University, where he was also a top sprinter. Many people thought Ford was one of the fastest players in the NFL.

After his playing career, Ford became a football coach. Since 2023, he has been the wide receiver coach at West Boca Raton High School. Before that, he coached at Cardinal Newman, his old high school. Ford has also received awards for his sports achievements, including the Palm Beach County Legends Award in 2022. He was added to the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.

Early Life and High School

Jacoby Ford grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. His brother, Davy Ford, also played football at Florida State. Jacoby went to Cardinal Newman High School. There, he played football and ran track.

In his senior year of high school, he caught 22 passes for 550 yards and scored ten touchdowns. He was named the most valuable player in the Palm Beach County All-Star Game. He was also chosen as a second-team all-state player.

After high school, in 2005, Ford went to a special school called Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia. At this academy, he was incredibly fast. He returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 1,254 yards and nine touchdowns. He even ran the ball 12 times for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

At a special tryout at Fork Union, he reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in an amazing 4.126 seconds. Experts called him the "fastest player on the East Coast." His coach said he was the "fastest player ever at Fork Union." This school has sent many players to the NFL.

College Career at Clemson

Ford decided to attend Clemson University. He studied sociology there.

In his first year, 2006, he played in almost all of Clemson's games. He caught 15 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball and returned punts and kickoffs, scoring two more touchdowns.

During the 2007 season, he played in eight games. He continued to catch passes and run the ball well. His season ended early when he broke his ankle in a game against Maryland.

In 2008, Ford played in all 13 games. He had a great year, catching 55 passes for 710 yards and four touchdowns. He also helped the team with rushing and returning kicks.

Before the 2009 season, experts thought Ford was one of the top wide receiver prospects for the 2010 NFL draft. In 2009, Ford and his teammate C. J. Spiller set a new NCAA record. They became the best all-purpose duo in college football history.

Track and Field Achievements

Jacoby Ford was also a very successful track athlete. In 2005, he won the Florida state championship in the 100-meter dash. He ran it in just 10.32 seconds. He also won the 200-meter dash state title.

In 2007, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Indoor Freshman of the Year. He set an ACC record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.52 seconds. This was the best time in the country that year. He earned many honors, including NCAA All-American.

In 2009, Ford ran the 60-meter dash in 6.51 seconds, which was very close to the NCAA Championship record. He then won the 60-meter dash at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. He was again named an NCAA All-American. His fastest time in the 100-meter dash was an incredible 10.01 seconds.

Personal Best Running Times

Professional Football Career

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders chose Jacoby Ford in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 108th player picked overall.

Ford quickly showed his speed and talent. In a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in November 2010, he caught 6 passes for 148 yards. He also returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown! His amazing play in that game earned him the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award.

Ford was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2010. He had two long kickoff return touchdowns that month: one for 94 yards and another for 101 yards. The 101-yard return was the third longest in Raiders history. On December 26, 2010, Ford returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. He ran the entire length of the field in just 11 seconds!

Ford holds the Raiders record for the most kickoff return touchdowns in a single season, with three. In the 2011 season, he set another Raiders record. He had his fourth career kickoff return touchdown, making him the franchise leader. After the 2013 season, the Raiders decided not to offer Ford a new contract.

Other Teams

After leaving the Raiders, Ford signed with the New York Jets on April 1, 2014. However, he was released by the team in August of that year.

In 2015, the Tennessee Titans signed Ford. He signed a one-year contract but was released before the season started.

In 2016, Ford moved to the CFL. He signed with the Edmonton Eskimos in February but was released in June. Later that year, he joined the Montreal Alouettes practice team after recovering from an injury.

Ford then signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the 2017 CFL season. He played for them until he was released in April 2018.

NFL Statistics

Here are some of Jacoby Ford's statistics from his time in the NFL:

Images for kids

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  Ford with the Oakland Raiders