Tyson Ford has been recruited by some of the best college football programs in the nation.
A 6-foot-6 and 245-pound senior defensive end for the John Burroughs football team, Ford gave Notre Dame a verbal commitment in January. After he pledged to the Fighting Irish, he received scholarship offers from Clemson and LSU.
Those pitches, however, fell on deaf ears.
“I haven’t been entertaining them,” Ford said. “I’m fully committed to Notre Dame.”
But the football team that did the best job recruiting Ford wasn’t a college.
It was John Burroughs.
The No. 4 recruit on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 countdown of the area’s top senior prospects, Ford was going to give up football and focus on basketball his freshman year at Burroughs. He played for the Brad Beal Elite club team. He thought hoops was his future.
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“I was going to focus on basketball,” Ford said. “Football would be a distraction.”
The Burroughs football staff kept working Ford and his family and kept getting turned away. It was hard sell, and persistence won. After a month of making their case, Ford and his family had a long talk and decided they’d give it a go.
“We decided to play both (football and basketball),” Ford said. “Football just took off.”
Ford, 17, went from giving up the game to becoming the best possible football player he could be, regardless of the sacrifice. He dropped 25 pounds in the offseason by restructuring his diet and running 5Ks, something he never imagined he would do.
“I was never a runner,” Ford said. “I was the slowest guy on the (basketball) team. It was hard for the first two weeks. Then it just became easier.”
Music played a key role for Ford. He’d get up in the morning, turn on his tunes and head out the door to get that day’s run out of the way.
“If I didn’t have music I wouldn’t have gotten up in the morning,” he said.
When it was time to eat Ford gave up some of his favorites in the name of fitness. He cut out croissants, grilled cheese and roast beef sandwiches. His dairy intake was drastically reduced as he skipped the cow’s milk in his cereal, shunned yogurt and cheese.
He usually ate six meals a day that featured plenty of lean meats and enough leafy greens to feed a fluffle of rabbits.
“I had a lot of salad,” Ford said. “So much salad.”
The changes worked. Ford said his body fat is around 15 percent. Even as he ran and switched up his diet he continued to power through vigorous workouts in the weight room. He’s bigger, stronger and faster than he’s ever been. He’s also refined his position-specific skills. In the past Ford may have relied on his physical attributes to get him over. Now he’s more experienced and savvy on the field.
“His technique is so much better. He’s a much more polished defensive player now,” Burroughs coach John Merritt said. “He’s going to play faster. As a sophomore he’d sometimes run himself out of plays. He won’t do that anymore. He’s going to be devastating.”
Ford never really got to showcase what he could do as a junior. Due to restrictions put in place by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health to curb the spread of COVID-19 last fall, Burroughs played just five games. Ford had 19 tackles, two tackles for loss and three sacks.
An All-American Bowl selection, Ford wanted to not only get into the best shape of his young life this summer, he sought out the best competition to gauge his own development. After nearly all camps and combines were shuttered in the summer of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, he took advantage of his opportunities this summer.
“When I went to the camps I wanted to work on some things,” Ford said. “I got a feel for the difference between Missouri high school football and the rest of the country. It made me a better player.”
Ford is hopeful that Burroughs will live up to its historical legacy as one of the most accomplished football programs in the area and the state. The Bombers have won nine state championships, the same number as Rockhurst and two more than rival MICDS.
Burroughs’s last title came in 2015 and Ford would like to change that before he graduates after the fall semester and enrolls early at Notre Dame.
“I think this is the year where we get back to where we used to be,” Ford said. “I really think we have the ability to do that.”
2021-22 Post-Dispatch Super 30
2021-22 Post-Dispatch Super 30 preseason countdown

Take a tour of our countdown of the top senior college football prospects in the St. Louis area. Join us each day as we unveil new selections. Dec. 15 is the earliest date players in the class of 2022 can sign binding letters of intent with NCAA Division I and Division II schools.
No. 1: Luther Burden, WR, East St. Louis

READ MORE: Burden puts all his focus on football as East St. Louis chases a championship
SIGNED: Missouri
OFFERS: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Syracuse, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wisconsin
No. 2: Kevin Coleman, WR, St. Mary’s

READ MORE: St. Mary's star Coleman made splash with his first catch, hasn't looked back since
SIGNED: Jackson State
OFFERS: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Central Florida, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UNLV, USC, Vanderbilt
No. 3: Toriano Pride, DB, East St. Louis

READ MORE: Pride's addition makes East St. Louis's secondary a horror show for the competition
SIGNED: Clemson
OFFERS: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Central Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
No. 4: Tyson Ford, DE, John Burroughs

READ MORE: Ford found his path forward as a freshman at John Burroughs
SIGNED: Notre Dame
OFFERS: Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Washington
No. 5: Ja’Marion Wayne, ATH, Parkway West

READ MORE: No baloney, Parkway West's versatile Wayne gave up meat
SIGNED: Missouri
OFFERS: Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska
No. 6: Marquis Gracial, DL, St. Charles

READ MORE: Gifted Gracial only scratching the surface at St. Charles
SIGNED: Missouri
OFFERS: Alabama, Arizona State, Bowling Green, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri Southern, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
No. 7: Isaac Thompson, DB, St. Louis U. High

READ MORE: Healthy Thompson savoring his final season at SLUH
SIGNED: Missouri
OFFERS: Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Georgetown, Howard, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Morgan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, Texas, USC, Washington State, West Virginia
No. 8: Arlen Harris Jr., RB, Lutheran St. Charles

READ MORE: Harris hopes to go out with a bang with Lutheran St. Charles before heading to Stanford
SIGNED: Stanford
OFFERS: Arkansas, Ball State, Boston College, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Vanderbilt, West Virginia
No. 9: Caldra Williford, DB, Lutheran North

READ MORE: Lutheran North's Williford audibled after Kansas cut ties with coaching staff
SIGNED: Murray State
OFFERS: Central Michigan, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, West Virginia
No. 10: Kaian Roberts-Day, ATH, Festus

READ MORE: Tragedy pushed Roberts-Day's return to Festus
SIGNED: Baylor
OFFERS: Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Tennessee
No. 11: Cameron Epps, DB, Chaminade

READ MORE: Epps makes Chaminade's opponents nervous on both sides of the ball
SIGNED: Oklahoma State
OFFERS: Arkansas, Boston College, Howard, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia
No. 12: Ali Wells, RB, East St. Louis

READ MORE: Wells makes a smooth transition after transferring to East St. Louis
SIGNED: Murray State
OFFERS: Auburn, Florida State, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas Tech
No. 13: Kaleb Purdy, DB, De Smet

READ MORE: Experienced Purdy anchors De Smet's defensive secondary
SIGNED: Kansas
OFFERS: Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Michigan
No. 14: Ahmad Robinson, DB, East St. Louis

READ MORE: Robinson ready to hear the crowd roar again at East St. Louis
SIGNED: Arkansas State
OFFERS: Bowling Green, Indiana, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming
No. 15: De’Shawn Fuller, DB, St. Mary’s

READ MORE: St. Mary's Fuller digs deep for details during film study
SIGNED: Iowa Wesleyan
OFFERS: Arizona State, Central Michigan
No. 16: Jaylen Banks, DL, Lutheran North

READ MORE: Banks devours double teams as Lutheran North's nose guard
SIGNED: SIU Carbondale
OFFERS: Iowa State, Kansas, Memphis, Minnesota, Syracuse
No. 17: Chris Brooks Jr., WR, St. Louis U. High

READ MORE: Brooks eager for healthy senior season at SLUH
SIGNED: Wisconsin
OFFERS: Ball State, Brown, Buffalo, Columbia, Illinois State, Miami-Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota State
No. 18: Ashtin Rustemeyer, DL, Lutheran St. Charles

READ MORE: There's no place like home for Lutheran St. Charles' Rustemeyer
SIGNED: Arkansas State
OFFERS: Army, Ball State, Buffalo, Columbia, Harvard, Indiana State, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Rice, Yale
No. 19: Caleb Merritt, ATH, John Burroughs

READ MORE: Merritt's mind, talent make him a two-way threat for John Burroughs
SIGNED: Wyoming
OFFERS: Brown, Eastern Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Navy, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, Pennsylvania
No. 20: Elijah Griffin, ATH, Chaminade

READ MORE: Griffin provides juice for explosive Chaminade offense
OFFERS: Arkansas State, Buffalo, Culver-Stockton, Kansas, Kentucky
No. 21: Jimmy Lansing, OL, Chaminade

READ MORE: Move to left tackle was the right move for Chaminade's Lansing
SIGNED: SIU Carbondale
OFFERS: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Culver-Stockton, Dartmouth, Kent State.
No. 22: Jordan Coleman, ATH, De Smet

READ MORE: Coleman crushes the books to be his best for De Smet
SIGNED: Ball State
OFFERS: Abilene Christian, Air Force, Army, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Indiana State, Kansas, Kent State, Navy
No. 23: Jaylin Carson, RB, Lutheran North

READ MORE: Healthy and hungry, Carson is ready for a grand finale at Lutheran North
OFFERS: Kansas, Murray State, SIU Carbondale
No. 24: Chris Skiljan, LB, De Smet

READ MORE: Skiljan put his skills on display wherever De Smet needed him
SIGNED: Central Missouri
OFFERS: Georgetown, Kent State
No. 25: Jalen Lee, DB, Fort Zumwalt North

READ MORE: Lee is Fort Zumwalt North's next standout on both sides of the ball
SIGNED: South Dakota State
OFFERS: Eastern Illinois, Indiana State, SIU Carbondale
No. 26: Jackson Smith, WR, Holt

READ MORE: Smith has been quite a catch for Holt
SIGNED: Graceland University
No. 27: Ryan Schwendeman, TE, St. Dominic

READ MORE: Schwendeman is a tough puzzle for St. Dominic's opponents to solve
SIGNED: SIU Carbondale
No. 28: Blair Schonhorst, DB, CBC

READ MORE: Schonhorst's switch to defense pays dividends for him, CBC
SIGNED: Ball State
OFFERS: Abilene Christian, Eastern Illinois, Indiana State, Missouri State, Valparaiso
No. 29: Patrick Heitert, QB, CBC

READ MORE: CBC's Heitert waited for his chance, and it's finally here
SIGNED: Southeast Missouri State
OFFERS: Benedictine, William Jewell
No. 30: LJ Minner, SS-RB, Westminster

READ MORE: Westminster's Minner learned the ropes quickly as youngest of five siblings
SIGNED: Washburn