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 38) 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 on July 27, 1987, is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver and a return specialist. The Oakland Raiders picked him in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft.

Ford was also a very talented track and field athlete. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers at Clemson University. There, he also competed in sprinting events. During his time in the NFL, many people thought Ford was one of the fastest players. He even has one of the top 100-meter dash times among NFL players.

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

Jacoby Ford's Early Life and High School Years

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. He played football for two years and ran track for one year.

In his senior year, he caught 22 passes for 550 yards. He also scored ten touchdowns. He was named the most valuable player of the Palm Beach County All-Star Game. He also earned a spot on the second-team all-state list.

Time at Fork Union Military Academy

In 2005, Ford attended a special school called Fork Union Military Academy. This school is in Fork Union, Virginia. While there, he showed off his amazing speed. He returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 1,254 yards and nine touchdowns. He ran the ball 12 times for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

At a special event at the academy, he reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in an incredible 4.126 seconds. Rivals.com, a sports website, called him the "fastest player on the East Coast." They also ranked him as the 17th best prep school player in the country. The head coach, John Schuman, said Ford was "the fastest player ever at Fork Union." This school has sent many players to the NFL.

Many top colleges wanted Ford to play for them. These included Clemson, Florida, Michigan State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia.

College Football Career at Clemson

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

Freshman and Sophomore Seasons

In 2006, as a freshman, he played in 12 out of 13 games. He caught 15 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball eight times for 104 yards. Ford was also a great returner. He returned 23 punts for 166 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 13 kickoffs for 426 yards and one touchdown.

During the 2007 football season, he played in eight games. He caught 17 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball 14 times for 172 yards. His season ended early when he broke his ankle in a game against Maryland.

In 2008, he played in all 13 games. He caught 55 passes for 710 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball 18 times for 96 yards.

Record-Breaking Performance

Before the 2009 season, NFL Draft Scout ranked Ford very highly. They saw him as one of the top wide receiver prospects for the 2010 NFL draft.

On November 7, 2009, Clemson won against the Florida State Seminoles 40-24. In that game, Ford and his teammate C. J. Spiller made history. They became the best all-purpose duo in NCAA history. They broke a record that was previously held by Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott.

Track and Field Achievements

Ford was also a champion in track and field. In 2005, he won the Florida state 100-meter dash. His time was reportedly 10.32 seconds. He also won the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.18 seconds.

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 nation that year. Ford also earned many honors, including NCAA All-American.

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

Jacoby Ford's Personal Best Times

Professional Football Career

Time with the Oakland Raiders

On April 24, 2010, the Oakland Raiders picked Ford in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 108th player chosen overall.

On November 7, 2010, he had a great game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He caught 6 passes for 148 yards. He also returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. This was his best game for receiving yards. Ford helped the Raiders win 23-20 in overtime. He was voted the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for his amazing play.

Ford was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2010. He had a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown against the Chiefs. He also had a 101-yard return for a score against the Miami Dolphins. This was the third longest in the Raiders' history. On December 26, 2010, Ford returned the opening kickoff 100 yards against the Indianapolis Colts. He ran from one end of the field to the other in just 11 seconds.

Ford holds the Raiders' record for the most kickoff return touchdowns in one season, with three. In the 2011 season, he set a new franchise record. He had four kickoff return touchdowns in his career with the Raiders. This happened after his 101-yard return against the Cleveland Browns. After the 2013 season, the Raiders decided not to offer Ford a new contract.

Other Teams Ford Played For

Ford signed with the New York Jets on April 1, 2014. However, he was released by the team on August 24, 2014.

The Tennessee Titans signed Ford to a contract on January 14, 2015. He signed a one-year contract for $660,000. But he was released on September 5, 2015, as part of the final team cuts.

On February 19, 2016, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. He was released on June 19, 2016. After recovering from an injury, he joined the Montreal Alouettes' practice team on July 8, 2016.

Ford then signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League for the 2017 season. He was released by them on April 25, 2018.

NFL Statistics Overview