Kyle Ford tears ACL, likely out for 2020

Just an awful set of news for a rising redshirt-freshman star receiver.

Kyle Ford, who appeared in one game last year, is likely out for all of 2020, having torn his ACL. Ford had previously torn his other ACL in high school, forcing him to miss his entire senior season but still finished his high school career as the nation’s No. 3 receiver and No. 31 overall prospect for his class.

Though he caught just one pass for a 20-yard touchdown last year, Ford was definitely in line for more targets in 2020 following the departure of Michael Pittman Jr. in the 2020 NFL Draft. Tyler Vaughns and Amon-Ra St. Brown are at the clear-cut top of the depth chart but it’s important to remember that in the lone spring practice we saw earlier this year, Ford was working with the No. 1 offense.

The 6’2, 210 pounder retained a year of eligibility by redshirting last year as he was unable to be ready to go for game action until Week 10’s game against Oregon, where his first catch came. He also played down the stretch but didn’t see action in more than four games, thus being able to redshirt for 2019. He doesn’t have that luxury this season now and for all intents and purposes here, we can just assume we won’t get to see the former five-star recruit until 2021 at the earliest.

With Vaughns and St. Brown at the top, this makes way for Drake London, Bru McCoy, Gary Bryant, John Jackson III, Josh Jackson and eventually Munir McClain to see plenty of targets this season.

It still is devastating news for Ford, and we wish him the best coming back. Get better soon, Kyle. Fight On!