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Bills rookie Cody Ford taking reps at right tackle with 1st team

By Seth Steere

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 27: Offensive lineman Cody Ford #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners gestures to the crowd before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 27: Offensive lineman Cody Ford #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners gestures to the crowd before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Former Oklahoma tackle Cody Ford fell to the second round because of concerns over whether he had the skill set to play offensive tackle in the NFL, but he’s since put the doubters to rest.

Cody Ford was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, a selection that was considered a steal because of his status as one of the top offensive linemen in the draft class.

Despite his high positional ranking, NFL teams had concerns about his ability to play tackle in the NFL. It wasn’t because he was a liability on the field, but rather, it’s because of his physical makeup.

According to mockdraftable.com, Ford’s height ranks in the fifth-percentile (6-foot-4. Combine that with Ford’s weight — which ranked in the 80th-percentile at 329 pounds — and the end result wasn’t great.

Still, Ford landed in a great situation and has a realistic chance to earn a starting job. It won’t be easy, however.

The Bills went out this offseason and brought in a bunch of talent along the line: Ty Nsekhe (from Washington),  Mitch Morse (from Kansas City), and LaAdrian Waddle (from New England) among others. It was widely viewed that Nsekhe would come in and fill the role of right tackle with Dion Dawkins manning the left side. However, that has not been the case, as Ford has been seeing a majority of the first-team reps at right tackle, according to  Nick Wojton of Bills Wire.

"“The Bills’ second-round pick from the recent NFL draft has spent the first two days of the team’s training camp as the starting right tackle.”"

Wojton also went on to claim that Ford may also receive reps at the guard position, according to statements from the head coach, Sean McDermott.

"“’There is thought to his position flexibility. You know with young players, you have to watch how much you put on them early so they can get comfortable at one position and we’ll see how it goes from there.’”"

The battle for supremacy at the right tackle position won’t be handed to Ford; he has to earn it and he has to outperform several solid veterans to do so. That said, he possesses the most upside of any starting option on the roster and it’s encouraging to see he’s already running with the starters in training camp.

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