Wisconsin Tight End Jake Ferguson Delivers An All-Around Game
MADISON, Wis. – A linebacker, receiver, punter, and all-around specialist for Madison Memorial High School, Jake Ferguson entered his tenure at the University of Wisconsin needing time to heal his body and develop into a serviceable tight end over time. He has ended up doing more than that.
In a Wisconsin passing game that could best be described as sporadic during his tenure, Ferguson has been the one constant. He’s been a reliable tight end for a multitude of quarterbacks – Alex Hornibrook, Jack Coan, Graham Mertz, and Chase Wolf – and made plays no matter how banged up or bruised he is.
“As an offense, we love him,” tackle Tyler Beach said. “He makes plays when plays need to be made. He gets open for a pass, he’s making a play. That’s the thing we preach about him is his unselfishness. He doesn’t care how many receptions he’s getting. He cares about winning, and you can see that with the way he works.”
Ferguson’s numbers reinforce his importance to Wisconsin (8-4) and how the offense functions. Entering the Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State (8-4) on December 30 (9:30 p.m. CT)/ESPN, Ferguson has caught a pass in all 46 games he’s been eligible to play in since 2018, the second-longest streak in the FBS. A first-team All-Big Ten selection for the second straight season, Ferguson set a new career-high in catches (43) in 2021 and his 417 receiving yards are second on the team.
Rebounding from a 1-3 start to peel off seven consecutive wins, Ferguson led the offense with averages of 3.4 catches and 40.3 receiving yards per game on that streak.
“Being around this program for so long, you’ve seen teams fight back from stuff, fight back from adversity,” Ferguson said. “We were 1-3 and were still able to write our story. I’m really proud of the way guys responded and what we’ve done.”
After leading the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns during last year’s COVID-abbreviated campaign, Ferguson surprised some by returning for his redshirt senior season. His reasoning was multilayered. He wanted to enjoy a full season with no setbacks, had a desire to improve his NFL Draft stock, and compete for a Big Ten championship.
Ferguson has always been known as a pass catcher, dating back to a prep career that finished with 1,795 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. But where Ferguson felt he needed to grow was in pass and run blocking, a necessity in Wisconsin’s run-dominated offense and at the professional level.
“Being a part of that (senior) group, I knew I had to step up,” Ferguson said. “I had to do a couple things different. I think all aspects, whether it be blocking or receiving after the catch, just getting with (tight end coach Mickey) Turner and the guys a little bit more so I can improve each week.”
Ferguson said he make it clear to Turner, a former UW tight end, to be critical of all aspects of his performance. During the season, it wasn’t uncommon for Ferguson to be camped out in Turner’s office multiple times a week to study film.
Playing a team-high 715 snaps on offense, Ferguson is rated among Wisconsin’s starters its second-best pass blocker and run blocker among non-linemen by Pro Football Focus, receiving an above-average pass blocking grade in eight games and an above-average run blocking grade six times.
With an overall offensive grade of 85.2, Ferguson is rated Wisconsin’s top overall offensive starter.
“He’s unselfish in the run game,” Beach said. “He blocks the hell out of guys. It’s so awesome to see that.”
Rated anywhere from the fourth to sixth-best tight end in this year’s draft by draft analysis websites, Ferguson will pass on his extra year of eligibility to take his shot at the pros. The last time he’ll wear the Wisconsin helmet will be at February’s Senior Bowl in Alabama, a showcase for NFL scouts and executives.
Around the program since his birth, he admits it will be “a little emotional” to walk away next week. He’ll fall short of his preseason goal of winning a conference title but doesn’t question his decision to compete collegiately one more year.
“Me growing up around here, coming to games when I was little, being around the W, being around the program for so long, it’s definitely special,” Ferguson said. “Looking back, having a lot of people write us off and being able to come back as a team, find our identity and push forward is something I’m really proud of the guys.”
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @JakeKoco, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45
*Like us on Facebook