Jaylon Ferguson Explained

Jaylon Ferguson
Number:45
Position:Outside linebacker
Birth Date:14 December 1995
Birth Place:Zachary, Louisiana, U.S.
Death Place:Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:270
High School:West Feliciana
(Bains, Louisiana)
College:Louisiana Tech (2014–2018)
Draftyear:2019
Draftround:3
Draftpick:85
Pastteams:
Highlights:
  • C-USA Defensive Player of the Year (2018)
  • 2× First-team All-C-USA (2017, 2018)
Statlabel1:Total tackles
Statvalue1:67
Statlabel2:Sacks
Statvalue2:4.5
Statlabel3:Pass deflections
Statvalue3:2
Statlabel4:Fumble Recoveries
Statvalue4:2
Pfr:F/FergJa02

Jaylon O'Neal Ferguson (December 14, 1995 – June 21, 2022) was an American football outside linebacker. He played college football at Louisiana Tech before being drafted 85th overall by the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) in the 2019 NFL draft. He played three seasons with the Ravens.

Early years

Ferguson attended West Feliciana High School in St. Francisville, Louisiana, where he played football and basketball for four years.[1]

College career

Ferguson redshirted his first year at Louisiana Tech in 2014. In 2015, he played in 12 games with five starts and recorded 35 tackles and six sacks. As a sophomore in 2016, he set the school record for sacks in a season with 14.5.[2] [3] As a junior in 2017, Ferguson had 38 tackles and seven sacks.[4] He returned to Louisiana Tech for his senior year in 2018.[5] During the season he broke the school record for career sacks and broke his own school record for sacks in a single-season with 17.5.[6] Ferguson became the Football Bowl Subdivision career sack leader during the 2018 Hawaii Bowl, and was also named winning-team MVP of that game.[7]

In February 2019, the National Football League (NFL) rescinded their invitation to Ferguson to attend the NFL Scouting Combine after discovering his misdemeanor simple battery conviction from 2015.[1]

College statistics

Jaylon Ferguson Defense
Season Team GP Cmb TfL Sck Int PD FF
Louisiana Tech12 35 15.0 6.0 0 1 2
Louisiana Tech14 49 14.0 14.5 0 2 3
Louisiana Tech11 38 12.5 7.0 0 0 0
Louisiana Tech13 65 26.0 17.5 0 3 2
Totals 50 187 67.5 45.0 0 6 7

Professional career

Ferguson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round (85th overall) of the 2019 NFL draft.[8] On July 19, 2019, Ferguson was placed on the reserve/NFI list with a hamstring injury.[9] He was removed two days later.[10] On September 22, 2019, Ferguson made his NFL debut, recording 18 snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs.[11] He recorded his first-career tackle two weeks later against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[12] He made his first NFL start on November 3 against the New England Patriots.[13] On November 17, Ferguson recorded his first-career sack against the Houston Texans, bringing down Deshaun Watson in the second quarter.[14] Three weeks later, he recorded his second sack against the Buffalo Bills, sacking Josh Allen.[15]

In Week 4 of the 2020 season against the Washington Football Team, Ferguson recorded his first sack of the season on Dwayne Haskins during the 31–17 win.[16] Ferguson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Ravens on November 28, 2020,[17] and activated two days later.[18] In the 2020 season, Ferguson started in one game and appeared in 14 total, finishing the season with 2.0 sacks and 30 tackles.[19] In 2021, Ferguson appeared in 10 games, recording six tackles but no sacks.

Personal life and death

Ferguson had a son and two daughters with his fiancée.[20]

Ferguson died in Baltimore on June 21, 2022, at the age of 26.[21] Police indicated that while the death was "questionable", there were initially no signs of foul play or trauma.[22] The next day, the Ravens released a statement stating: "We are profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson. He was a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and infectious personality. We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon's family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon." His death was later declared to be caused by the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine, and it was ruled that the death was accidental.[23]

Ferguson's brother, Jazz Ferguson, who formally played for the DC Defenders of the XFL.[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: After West Feliciana's Jaylon Ferguson uninvited to NFL combine, agent releases statement . . February 14, 2019 . June 22, 2022.
  2. Web site: The sacks kept stacking up for Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson. Weathers. William. December 17, 2016. The Advocate. en. December 22, 2019.
  3. Web site: La. Tech's Jaylon Ferguson aims high. USA Today Network. August 21, 2017. Shreveporttimes.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  4. Web site: Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech look to sack SMU in Frisco Bowl. Weathers. William. December 19, 2017. The Advocate. en. December 22, 2019.
  5. Web site: Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson returns for the 'right reasons'. Diaz. Cory. August 9, 2018. Shreveporttimes.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  6. Web site: Origin of #SackDaddy: How LA Tech's Ferguson got the nickname that's catching on. Diaz. Cory. November 1, 2018. Thenewsstar.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  7. Web site: Smith Leads Louisiana Tech Past Hawaii 31-14 in Hawaii Bowl . thehawaiibowl.com . December 23, 2018 . December 26, 2018 . June 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220623105935/https://www.thehawaiibowl.com/smith-leads-louisiana-tech-past-hawaii-31-14-in-hawaii-bowl/ . dead .
  8. Web site: Brown . Clifton . Ravens Draft Edge Rusher Jaylon Ferguson. BaltimoreRavens.com. April 26, 2019. May 18, 2019.
  9. Web site: Ravens Roundup: Ravens place Brown, Ferguson on reserve/NFI list. Brandt. Caroline. July 19, 2019. NBC Sports Washington. December 22, 2019.
  10. Web site: Michael Pierce, Daylon Mack and Jaylon Ferguson Pass Physicals Ahead of Training Camp. Schiller. Joe. July 22, 2019. 105.7 The Fan. en. December 22, 2019. December 22, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191222211837/https://1057thefan.radio.com/articles/michael-pierce-daylon-mack-and-jaylon-ferguson-pass-physicals-ahead-training-camp. dead.
  11. Web site: Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs - September 22nd, 2019. Pro-Football-Reference.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  12. Web site: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers - October 6th, 2019. Pro-Football-Reference.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  13. Web site: New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens - November 3rd, 2019. Pro-Football-Reference.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  14. Web site: Ravens' Jaylon Ferguson: Notches first career sack. RotoWire Staff. November 18, 2019. CBSSports.com. en. December 22, 2019.
  15. Web site: Ravens Pass Rush Is a Problem – For Opponents. Brown. Clifton. December 9, 2019. Baltimoreravens.com. en-US. December 22, 2019.
  16. Web site: Ravens vs. Washington score: Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews rebound to defeat Washington with ease . CBSSports.com . October 6, 2020 . en.
  17. News: Brown, Clifton . Six Ravens Added to Reserve/COVID-19 List . BaltimoreRavens.com . November 28, 2020 . January 7, 2021.
  18. News: Brown . Clifton . Mink . Ryan . Four More Ravens Added to Reserve/COVID-19 List, Four Return . BaltimoreRavens.com . November 30, 2020 . January 7, 2021.
  19. Web site: Jaylon Ferguson Stats . June 22, 2022 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  20. News: November 29, 2019 . The two sides of Baltimore Ravens rookie Jaylon Ferguson . June 22, 2022 . pennlive . en.
  21. News: Baltimore Ravens LB Jaylon Ferguson dies at age 26 . . Jamison . Hensley . June 22, 2022 . June 22, 2022.
  22. News: Prudente . Tim . June 22, 2022 . Baltimore Police investigating 'questionable' death of Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson . Baltimore Banner . June 22, 2022.
  23. News: Costello . Darcy . Ravens player Jaylon Ferguson died of fentanyl and cocaine, medical examiner office says . July 1, 2022 . . July 1, 2022.
  24. Web site: Jazz Ferguson - Demon Football . 2023-06-07 . Northwestern State University Athletics . en.