VANCOUVER — Jordan Younger knew right away that Tyrell Ford had a special talent.

He first noticed the Canadian defensive back at the 2022 CFL combine and was impressed.

“I could see from the way he moved, from some of the decisions he made, that he had, of course, the physical ability. But he also knew how to play the position,” said Younger, defensive coordinator for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “I thought if he was humble enough to take some of the lessons and stuff, he could really make an impact as a player.”

The Bombers selected Ford 13th overall in the 2022 draft and he has since become a key player for Winnipeg.

The 26-year-old corner from Niagara Falls, Ontario is expected to play in the Gray Cup on Sunday when his team takes on the Toronto Argonauts at BC Place.

The path to the CFL championship was not linear for Ford.

He played in 12 games with the Bombers in 2022, making three defensive tackles and 10 special teams tackles, then signed a futures contract with the Green Bay Packers in January 2023 before being released by the team. NFL in August.

Ford re-signed with Winnipeg for the 2024 campaign and headed to Bombers training camp with something to prove.

“I definitely came in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I felt like I should have played more in 2022. But obviously I didn’t. So it was good to go out and have the chance to prove it. And I think it That’s what I did.

The five-foot-11, 194-pounder from the University of Waterloo started all 18 games for the Bombers this season, recording 51 defensive tackles and four special teams tackles. He also threw seven interceptions – second most in the league behind Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr., who was named the CFL’s defensive player of the year on Thursday.

“I feel like I had a good regular season,” Ford said. “I feel like I dropped a couple interceptions, so it’s a little tough and I definitely missed a couple tackles. But I feel like I didn’t really mess up any coverages or do anything It’s too bad. I also have to work on the tricks, but I think I had a pretty good season and I hope I should improve every year.

Ford has brought a “different level of maturity” to the Bombers this season, Younger said.

“I remember he had a tough game in the first game of the year and he didn’t really flinch,” he said. “He came back, he realized, ‘Okay, these are the things I did well, these are the things I did.’ I’m not doing well. And he was just able to work on the things he didn’t do well. And that’s what he did in every game.

The five-foot-11, 194-pounder fits into Winnipeg’s system because of the way he sees the game and talks to his teammates, the defensive coordinator added.

“To play in our system, you have to have a vision. You have to be able to look at the game and see what’s going on in front of you and then process the information very quickly,” he said. “So he has very good eyes and he’s a good communicator, in the sense that he can listen and he can communicate. These qualities are therefore necessary to play in this defense.

Winnipeg had one of the best defensive units in the CFL this season, allowing the fewest points (366) of any team in the regular season.

The Bombers started slowly, losing their first four games and going 2-6 to start the campaign. The team then went on an eight-game winning streak to take first place in the West Division and finished with an 11-7 record.

“I always knew we were capable of playing very good football. We’ve just been a little sloppy early in the season,” Ford said. “So we’re just playing cleaner football, executing at a higher level and playing for each other.”

In preparation for this season, Ford worked on his foot speed, running for 40 yards almost every day and playing receiver for his twin Tre Ford, quarterback of the Edmonton Elks.

Playing in the same league was special for the brothers.

“It’s just nice to have someone who understands and knows what it is and how it happens. It’s definitely a good support system there and me for him,” Tyrell Ford said.

The duo talks almost every evening while playing video games together. When they’re not playing, they chat on the phone every other day

“He’s my twin brother, so we’re almost the same person,” Tyrell Ford said. “It’s just pretty cool and makes football fun.”

The Blue Bombers defense has also had a lot of fun playing football in recent weeks, Ford said.

“We had a lot of energy,” he said. “It’s like you’re kids playing football again.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 15, 2024.