2 Lowcountry natives look to make mark in college all-star game

Two former Lowcountry standouts are getting their chance to impress NFL scouts this week.

Hilton Head’s Poona Ford and Whale Branch’s Dee Delaney are taking part in the East-West Shrine Game, which will be held Saturday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The game will be televised on NFL Network at 3 p.m.

Delaney posted a picture with Ford when the two checked in earlier this week.

“Just two boys from the #843 city trying to make it,” Delaney posted on Twitter.

Hilton Head coach B.J. Payne was in Florida to watch Ford practice this week. Ford got even better news Thursday when he was invited to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 27.

Ford had a standout career at Texas and was the Big 12 Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year this season. He started all 12 games and was a menace in the middle of Texas’ defense with 30 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1  1/2 sacks, one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry, one pass breakup and a blocked field goal.

For his career, he had 20 ½ tackles for loss. NFL Draft Scout projects Ford as a second or third round selection and CBSSports.com has him as the 10th best defensive lineman in this year’s draft.

The biggest knock that has been written about Ford is his height. He checked in at 5-foot-11, 309 pounds during weigh-in.

“People have been saying I’m not tall enough since I was in high school. I just keep proving people wrong,” Ford said on NFL.com.

Pro Football Weekly and Pro Football Focus list Ford as one of the players to watch this week and in the game. He has drawn interest from several NFL teams and met with the New York Jets this week.

Delaney began his career at The Citadel before transferring to Miami. The defensive back missed three games this season because of injury finished with 39 tackles, one interception and a fumble recovery.

In the Capital One Orange Bowl against Wisconsin, Delaney had five tackles and a fumble recovery.

Delaney picked off a pass from Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett in practice this week.

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 4:06 PM with the headline "2 Lowcountry natives look to make mark in college all-star game."