Hilton Head's Poona Ford continues to prove doubters wrong

B.J. Payne has been through this before.

Payne, the head football coach at Hilton Head Island, has heard just about everything from people doubting Poona Ford’s ability. Ford was a standout player for Payne in high school and went on to a decorated career at the University of Texas.

Still, there are those that question if 5-foot-11, 305-pound Ford has the measurables to make it as an undersized defensive lineman in the NFL. To those people, Payne just has to shake his head.

“When he was in high school, they were like ‘(he) is pretty good but short can’t play Division I, not going to power five conference,’” Payne said this week. “Others were like ‘wait till he plays in the Shrine Bowl.’”

He played great in that and performed in the Semper Fi All-Star game where people didn’t know how he was going to do on national stage.

“He goes to college and some said ‘well he’s not going to play that much.’ He starts three years at Texas, was Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year this year. How much more (does) this kid have to do?”

Ford hopes to hear his name called either Friday or Saturday as the NFL Draft continues. Former Whale Branch standout Dee Delaney, who finished his career at Miami, also is projected as a late-round pick or free agent signee.

Devin Taylor, who played at Beaufort High school and later at South Carolina, was the last Beaufort County player taken in the NFL Draft when he was picked by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Ford was a menace in the middle of Texas’ defense this season. He had 30 tackles, eight tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks to become the first Longhorn since Brian Orakpo (2008) to be named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Ford had strong showings in the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl but it wasn’t enough to earn an invite to the NFL Combine, which Payne said wasn’t that bad of a thing because he had extra time to prepare for his Pro Day last month.

At his pro day, Ford benched 225 pounds 24 times, had a 29-inch vertical leap and did a three-cone agility cone drill in 74. That, to go along with his 80.25 wingspan, had to impress the teams there.

“I really wasn’t worried about it, honestly,” Ford told reporters at his Pro Day. “I just looked at it to my advantage. I had more time to prepare and just come out and do my thing.”

Ford is projected as a fifth-to-seventh round selection by most NFL mock drafts. Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples calls Ford one of the NFL Draft’s sleepers and says he should easily outperform where he is picked.

That wouldn’t surprise Payne at all since Ford has been doing it all his career.

“I think he will go play 12 years in NFL. He fits the game so well. He proved people wrong,” Payne said. “I’m a huge Poona Ford fan. He hasn’t changed. He is the same kid who, when he had 30 offers in high school, was eating lunch with my kids. Just an incredible story.”

This story was originally published April 26, 2018 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Hilton Head's Poona Ford continues to prove doubters wrong."