Justin Ford named to Senior Bowl watch list

Montana All-America cornerback Justin Ford was once again recognized as one of the top players in the country, earning a place on the watch list for the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl, the nation's most prestigious college all-star game.

Out of 484 total players named to the watch list, Ford was one of only two players from the Big Sky Conference to be listed, with just 29 players from the Football Championship Subdivision earning a spot.

Throughout the season, Senior Bowl staff will pare down the list to roughly 200 players that will earn an invite to the event and compete on one of two teams for pro coaches and scouts.

Held annually in Mobile, Alabama, the Reese's Senior Bowl is the most prominent event in the leadup to the NFL Draft. Last year 106 total players from the Senior Bowl were selected in the draft, with 36 taken in the first three rounds, representing 41 percent of the entire draft.

Should Ford earn the invitation, he will be just the third Grizzly to ever attend the Senior Bowl and the first since 2014, when Jordan Tripp attended. Scott Gragg was Montana's only other representative at the game in 1994.

Earlier in August, Ford was named to the 2022 watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the top defender in FCS football, along with Grizzly standouts Patrick O'Connell and Robby Hauck.

Ford finished fourth in the voting for the 2021 Buchanan Award after a stellar junior season where he led the NCAA in interceptions with nine on the season, two of which were returned for a touchdown.

He was a unanimous All-America pick, was named the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, and earned first-team all-conference honors after going on an unprobeable streak of eight-straight games with an interception.

Ford also tallied 41 total tackles, two TFLs, one sack, and led the Big Sky with 20 total passes defended. He also forced one and recovered two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown against Montana State.

The 2023 Senior Bowl is set for Feb. 4, 2023, and will be broadcast live on the NFL Network from Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. Senor Bowl practices are broadcast live on the ESPN family of networks, with the NFL Network airing a daily recap of practices in primetime.

The game is unique among other college all-star games, with bowl teams being coached by NFL staffs. Throughout its history more than 55 alumni have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with former MVPs of the game including the likes of Dan Marino, LaDainian Tomlinson, Dak Prescott, and Justin Herbert.

Earlier in the summer, Montana was picked by the league's coaches and media to win the Big Sky title race for the first time in over a decade.

Ford and the Grizzlies open the 2022 season at home on Sept. 3 against Northwestern State.

Season, single game, and three-game mini packs are available now at GrizTix.com.

University of Montana Athletics

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Justin Ford

Robby Hauck

Patrick O'Connell

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