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OU football: Cody Ford's path to potential first-round pick shaped by grandfather

NORMAN — Cody Ford has transformed his most detectable flaw into his most coveted trait. Scouting reports compiled on him repeat the same words and phrases — nasty, mauler, mean streak — as if there are no other descriptors to choose from.

Sometimes Ford’s fiery temperament was punished in his junior year at Oklahoma. The right tackle earned unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Texas Tech and Kansas last fall, yet that side of Ford, only seen on the field, factored in his emergence as one of the best offensive lineman in college football.

Thursday night he’ll likely walk onto a Nashville stage as a first-round pick in the NFL draft.