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Wisconsin Badgers Football: Jake Ferguson is the next great Badgers’ Tight End

By Brian Sampson

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 07: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers runs on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 07: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers runs on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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The Wisconsin Badgers football team has a nice history of producing great tight ends and Jake Ferguson is the next in line.

We aren’t even though the Wisconsin Badgers spring practice and Redshirt Freshman tight end Jake Ferguson is already making a name for himself by catching pass after pass after pass.

While this may be a huge overreaction based on seven practices, he looks like the next real thing and is ready to join the long history of great Wisconsin tight ends including Troy Fumagalli, Lance Kendricks, Garrett Graham, Travis Beckum and Owen Daniels to name a few.

Ferguson, the grandson of Athletic Directory Barry Alvarez and brother of former Badgers’ safety Joe Ferguson, was a four-star recruit coming out of Madison Memorial High School in 2017 where he recorded 1,795 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He elected to redshirt his freshman year in order to add strength and bulk and still has four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Tight ends coach Mickey turner had this to say about Ferguson:

"He’s athletic as hell, can catch the ball and one of his best traits is he’s competitive. He wants to do it right. If someone beats him on a given play, he’s not going to live that down. He’s going to go after it that much harder on the next one. The only thing you are worried about is does he have the frame to play tight end at this level, and he’s plenty big enough. He’s going to keep hitting the weights, come in here and have to learn a ton of plays because we ask the tight ends to do a ton of stuff, but I’m really excited by what he can do."

At 6-foot-5, his pass-catching ability is what he’s most known for. He has good speed for the position and is a great overall athlete, something that’ll help the Badgers tremendously. His leaping ability is another plus and something to look forward to over the next few years. Even when he can’t create separation, he’s able to use his great hands to haul the ball in.

The following play was the talk of camp this week and is a great example of his excellent upside as a receiver:

https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/981264174931152897

The catch begins with a gorgeous throw by sophomore quarterback Kare Lyles who drops one right in the bucket for the streaking Ferguson. No matter how beautiful the throw was, the catch is even better. The defender is draped all over Ferguson and has his left arm completely locked down. However, that doesn’t stop the tight end as he hauls in a one-handed catch and continues to run upfield.

With Fumagalli gone, there’s a void in the tight end position which Ferguson should be able to take complete advantage of.

As quarterback Alex Hornibrook looks to build upon his impressive performance in the Badgers’ bowl game against the Miami Hurricanes, he could find himself building a nice rapport with the redshirt freshman.

While the future is uncertain, it’s clear the potential is there. If the Badgers want to take the next step and truly compete for a spot in the College Football Playoffs, they need to continue adding playmakers to their team.

Next: Ethan Happ declares for the 2018 NBA Draft

Ferguson has the opportunity to become a great compliment to wide receivers A.J. Taylor, Quintez Cephus and Danny Davis. He can stretch the field, line up in various positions and offer a big body for Hornibrook to hit when he’s in need. The future is bright, so wear your sunglasses Mr. Ferguson.

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