CFB Zeitgeist Score
81
All-Conference in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 95th percentile.
Eric Ford
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
52 TACKLES · 4.5 SACKS
2026 Outlook
Returning to Army for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Linebacker · Army
Returning around him
- 25% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -2 net (0 in / 2 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Army · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #134 · 2026 recruiting class #130
LB · ARMY · AMERICAN ATHLETIC
Eric Ford
- 4
- #40
- 6-3 | 235 lb
- Laurel, MD
Heisman Heat
#7712
<1% win probability
Fan Belief
Awaiting
Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.
Respect Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
Reality Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
ACCOLADE PROBABILITY
Heisman
<1%
TOP LB AWARD
Butkus
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Splitting first-team reps.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Army
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3-star | 0.8056 | No. 2342 recruit | HighSchool | Army |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No transfer portal moves on file for this player. | ||
Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final
Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.
HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★☆☆
to Army
Composite
0.8056
#2342 national
Today’s Hot-Take
The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.
Anti-Take
PENDINGThe contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.
The Room on Eric Ford
Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal
The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.
Cohort divergence map
Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about Eric Ford
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
Signature Story
Awaiting candidate metric
He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.
Signature Moment
No signature moment on the ledger yet.
Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the defensive totals stand
Through 11g
52Tackles
8Tackles for loss
4.5Sacks
Per game
5Tackles
0.7Tackles for loss
0.4Sacks
Projected (13g)
61Tackles
9.5Tackles for loss
5.3Sacks
To hit 80-tackle season (currently 52): needs 14/game over remaining 2.
To hit 100-tackle season (currently 52): needs 24/game over remaining 2.
To hit 6-sack season (currently 4.5): needs 0.8/game over remaining 2.
To hit 10-sack season (currently 4.5): needs 2.8/game over remaining 2.
Why this is a rare defensive case
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Eric Ford is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Army's defense, with 4.5 sacks, 8.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.
2025 Season · Final
Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.
Last season
DEF season snapshot
2025 season snapshot | final
2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
High-disruption defender | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Tackling & Disruption
TOT
52 89th
SOLO
25 84th
TFL
8.0 96th
SACK
4.5 97th
QBH
7 96th
Coverage & Takeaways
PD
2 64th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 11 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 27-30vs Tarleton State | 8 | 5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 4 | L 38-45vs North Texas | 7 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | L 6-28@ East Carolina | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | W 24-7vs Charlotte | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 17-24@ Tulane | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 10 | W 20-17@ Air Force | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 11 | W 14-13vs Temple | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | L 25-26vs Tulsa | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 14 | W 27-24@ UTSA | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 sacks |
| Wk 16 | L 16-17@ Navy | 6 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Bowl | W 41-16vs UConn | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 52 | 25 | 8.0 | 4.5 | — | 2 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2022Army6-6HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2023Army6-6HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2024Army12-2HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy
2025Army7-6HC: Jeff Monken · Run-heavy
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.
Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.
Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.
The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defense | Total tackles | 52 | #550/4942 | 89th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | TFL | 8.0 | #198/4972 | 96th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Sacks | 4.5 | #136/4972 | 97th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Pass breakups | 2 | #792/2184 | 64th pct | Coveragevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | QB hurries | 7 | #69/1878 | 96th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Solo tackles | 25 | #744/4584 | 84th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Fumbles recovered | 2 | #13/736 | 98th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Ball Security | Fumbles lost | 0 | #1/773 | 100th pct | Turnoversvs FBS DEF |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
Accolade streams
Status—Awaiting tracker
The Butkus award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 11 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home6g | 4.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Road5g | 4.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins5g | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| Losses6g | 5.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-75g | 4.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Weeks 8+6g | 4.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort
81All-Conference
Elite: qb hurries (96th). Strength: sacks (94th).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · LB · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
Eric FordArmyMac HarrisSouth Florida· 89% simJohn MillerUtah State· 88% simRasheem BilesPittsburgh· 88% sim
QB hurries
Sacks
Tackles for loss
Tackles
Solo tackles
Passes defended
Forced fumbles
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Shayne Simon’s 2023 season.
Shayne Simon
89%match
#2
Nicholas Rinaldi
85%
#3
Caden McDonald
All-Mountain West
81%
#4
Nolan Smith
78%
#5
Jared Bartlett
77%
Matches Shayne on
Tackle volume
Weight
PD rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Nicholas Rinaldi's senior season at Vanderbilt (2025).
Nicholas Rinaldi
90%match
#2
Kobe Stewart
84%
#3
Jared Bartlett
84%
#4
Leon Lowery
84%
#5
Ben McNaboe
82%
Matches Nicholas on
Weight
TFL rate
Sack rate
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jeff Monken
Pass share
14.5%
125 pass / 740 run
Plays / game
66.5
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
3.8%
104 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
1 coach2022
Jeff Monken
Army
2023
Jeff Monken
Army
2024
Jeff Monken
Army
2025
Jeff Monken
Army
Played his entire career under Jeff Monken.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownLaurel, MD
Height6'3"
Weight235 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey40
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamArmy
ConferenceAmerican Athletic
Joined2025
Career arc4 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
| Season | Team | Role | Latest Model | Forecast | Win | Finalist | Official Finish | Points | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Army | LB4 | #7712 | #7858 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | American Athletic |
| 2023 | Army | LB4 | #13306 | #13232 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W19 snapshot | FBS Independents |
| 2022 | Army | LB4 | #12622 | #12381 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | FBS Independents |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Army | American Athletic | LB | 4 | No. 40 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Laurel, MD |
| 2024 | Army | American Athletic | LB | 4 | No. 40 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Laurel, MD |
| 2023 | Army | FBS Independents | LB | 4 | No. 40 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Laurel, MD |
| 2022 | Army | FBS Independents | LB | 4 | No. 40 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Laurel, MD |