3 Things to know about Cowboys’ newest Badger, TE Jake Ferguson
When the Cowboys drafted Dalton Schultz, he originally was their best blocking tight end. After the loss of Blake Jarwin due to injury, Schultz inherited the TE1 role and ran with it, however he is not without his faults. The blocking tight end proved to be a reliable pass catcher, but his blocking suffered. Jarwin’s hip injury that led to his release forced the Cowboys to look to refill at the position, only they didn’t during free agency.
Nor did they attempt to fix the depth in the first or second days of the draft. Does that mean they didn’t help their offense at this position? Fans should look no further than Wisconsin native and now former Badger Jake Ferguson who fits exactly what Dallas wants from that position. Here’s a few things to know about Jake Ferguson.
Early Years and Recruitment
Ferguson was born to parents Brad and Dawn in Madison, Wisconsin and has heavy ties to football in his family. He attended James Madison Memorial High School where he would play wide receiver/tight end and linebacker while also playing basketball and baseball. This versatility as an athlete boded well for Ferguson who was a 3-star recruit per 247 Sports and had numerous offers. These offers include Nebraska, Iowa State, Iowa, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, with Ferguson choosing to stay home.
College Career
Ferguson would get redshirted in 2017 and return in 2018 as a consistent contributor, even garnering a couple starts. In the 2020 COVID-riddled seasons Ferguson got his first chance at consistent starting opportunity, collecting a healthy 30 balls for 310 yards and four scores. His production would only improve in 2021 as he’d haul in 46 passes for 450 yards and three scores, a lot of which came in his breakout games against Penn State and Nebraska.
Play Style and Fit
The Cowboys certainly love players out of the Wisconsin pipeline. For the second time in three years and fourth time since 2011 Dallas has taken a Badger in the draft process (Tyler Biadasz, Travis Frederick, Bill Nagy).
Although he did not blow up the Combine, Ferguson possesses sufficient NFL athleticism. This shows as a pass catcher as he is a crisp route-runner and can produce some yards after the catch with tough running. His hands are extremely reliable as he keeps eagle-eye focus on the ball at all times and has enough athletic ability to reach outside his frame and corral wayward passes.
Ferguson is a solid but not outstanding blocker, as he could stand to add a bit more play strength to his game. In Dallas, he fits the mold they love from their tight ends and will slide in as TE2 immediately. How he performs early on dictates how comfortable Dallas might be moving on from Dalton Schultz as a similar thing happened to now released Jarwin.
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