Prospect Bio

There was no better place than home for Madison native Jake Ferguson. A three-star recruit from Madison, Wisconsin, was first offered by the Badgers according to 247Sports and never looked back. Ferguson was the 13th-ranked tight end in the 2017 class and second highest player in the state of Wisconsin. Ferguson finished his high school career with 1,795 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns for James Madison Memorial High School. He also contributed defensively, adding 314 tackles (29 for loss), five sacks, five interceptions and four forced fumbles.

Ferguson’s redshirt freshman season at Wisconsin saw him appear in every game for the Badgers, finishing second on the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Wisconsin went 8-5, winning the Pinstripe Bowl to end the season. As a sophomore, Ferguson trailed only Quintez Cephus in receptions and yards. The Badgers went to the Big Ten Championship, where they lost to Ohio State.

Wisconsin’s COVID-19 shortened season was Ferguson’s best. Ferguson led the Badgers in yards, receptions and touchdowns over the team’s seven game season. It was a down year for the Badgers; they went 3-3 in Big Ten play, but a postseason win in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl propelled Wisconsin to a winning record.

Ferguson’s final season in Madison saw some career bests. On senior day at Camp Randall, Ferguson posted eight receptions for 92 yards against Nebraska, a 35-28 Wisconsin win. Ferguson’s 46 receptions as a senior cemented him with 145 for his career, second in school history for a tight end (Travis Beckum, 159). The Badgers went 31-16 with Ferguson on the team, including 3-1 in bowl games.

College Stats

Jake Ferguson College Stats Courtesy of sports-reference.com

Positives

+ Good hands

+ Versatile route tree

+ Improved route running in 2021

+ Impressive catch radius

+ Used in pre-snap movement

+ Adjusts well to the ball; can bail out quarterbacks on poor throws

+ 28.2 college dominator (85th percentile, PlayerProfiler)

+ 19.6 breakout age (85th percentile, PlayerProfiler)

Negatives

– Struggles blocking defensive lineman

– Struggles with physicality

– Not the quickest prospect at his position

– 10.0 yards per reception (11th percentile, PlayerProfiler)

– 92.2 SPARQ-X (11th percentile, PlayerProfiler)

Highlight Reel

Comparable Player: Colby Parkinson

NFL Draft Projection: 5th Round

Bottom Line:

Ferguson made the most of his time in an offense with a focus of running the ball. He can be utilized in 11 or 12-man personnel and has four seasons with over 30 receptions. Ferguson can be used in red zone packages; he was often open due to play-action passes in a run heavy offense. However, Ferguson lacks the athleticism desired in today’s game. A subpar combine didn’t lift his draft stock, either. Based on his profile, Jake Ferguson dynasty rookie profile suggests going undrafted in rookie only drafts. He will likely be available for taxi squads post draft for those looking to take a flyer.

Resources: DLF, PlayerProfiler, PFN, PFF, TDN

Yards Per-Formance Prospect Grade