Jake Ferguson

Last updated

Jake Ferguson
84 Jake Ferguson (cropped).jpg
Ferguson with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2018
No. 87  Dallas Cowboys
Position Tight end
Roster statusActive
Personal information
Born (1999-01-18) January 18, 1999 (age 27)
Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight244 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school James Madison Memorial High School (Madison, Wisconsin)
College Wisconsin (2017–2021)
NFL draft 2022: 4th round, 129th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics as of 2025
Receptions 231
Receiving yards 2,029
Receiving touchdowns 15
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Jonathan Quinn "Jake" Ferguson [1] (born January 18, 1999) is an American professional football tight end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Contents

Early life

Ferguson attended James Madison Memorial High School (now known as Vel Phillips Memorial High School) in Madison, Wisconsin. He played wide receiver and linebacker in high school. During his career, Ferguson had 1,795 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on offense and 314 tackles, five sacks, and five interceptions on defense. He committed to the University of Wisconsin to play college football. [2] [3]

College career

Ferguson played at Wisconsin from 2017 to 2021. [4] [5] After redshirting his first year in 2017, Ferguson played in 47 games over the next four years, recording 145 receptions for 1,618 yards and 13 touchdowns. [6] As a senior, he broke Lee Evans' school record for consecutive games with a reception. [7]

College statistics

SeasonTeamGPReceiving
RecYdsAvgLngTD
2018 Wisconsin 133645612.7364
2019 Wisconsin 143340712.3282
2020 Wisconsin 73030510.2344
2021 Wisconsin 13464509.8353
Career 471451,61811.23613

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanWingspan 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+78 in
(1.95 m)
250 lb
(113 kg)
32+58 in
(0.83 m)
9+12 in
(0.24 m)
6 ft 5+14 in
(1.96 m)
4.77 s1.61 s2.68 s4.48 s7.03 s34.5 in
(0.88 m)
9 ft 10 in
(3.00 m)
15 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [8] [9] [10]

Ferguson was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft. [11] In Week 6, he scored his first NFL touchdown on a seven-yard touchdown reception in the 26–17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. [12] He finished his rookie season with 19 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games and eight starts. [13] In the 2023 season, he recorded 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games and 16 starts. [14] In the Cowboys' Wild Card Round loss to the Packers, he had 10 receptions for 93 yards and three touchdowns. [15]

On July 27, 2025, Ferguson signed a four-year, $52 million contract extension with the Cowboys, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season. [16]

NFL career statistics

Legend
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSTgtRecYdsAvgLngY/GTDFumLost
2022 DAL 16822191749.23010.9200
2023 DAL 17161027176110.74044.8500
2024 DAL 141486594948.42535.3042
2025 DAL 1710102826007.32635.3832
Career 64483122312,0298.84031.71574

Postseason

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSTgtRecYdsAvgLngY/GTDFumLost
2022 DAL 22113434.03417.0000
2023 DAL 111210939.32293.0300
Career 33131112711.53442.3300

Personal life

Ferguson's grandfather is former Wisconsin head coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez. [17] [18] He is of Spanish descent through his family roots in Asturias, Spain. Ferguson has spoken publicly about his ancestry and has worn the Spanish flag on his helmet during NFL games to honor his heritage. [19] [20]

Ferguson has been in a relationship with Haley Cavinder since 2023, and the pair announced their engagement in April 2025. [21]

References

  1. Amaranthus, Bri (August 12, 2024). "Dallas Cowboys Jake Ferguson Reveals Real Name: Exclusive". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  2. Galloway, Jason (August 10, 2016). "Badgers football: Madison Memorial's Jake Ferguson commits to Wisconsin". wiscnews.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  3. Galloway, Jason (April 1, 2016). "Badgers football: Madison Memorial's Jake Ferguson commits to Wisconsin". madison.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  4. Potrykus, Jeff (September 28, 2021). "Wisconsin Badgers tight end Jake Ferguson hopes to spark offense". jsonline.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  5. Bartholomew, Colton (November 27, 2021). "How Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson has increased his value to the team this season | College Football". madison.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  6. "Jake Ferguson College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". Sports Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  7. Adams, Jake (October 9, 2021). "Wisconsin TE Jake Ferguson sets school record for consecutive games with reception | College Football". madison.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  8. "Jake Ferguson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  9. "Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin, TE, 2022 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  10. "NFL combine 2022: Christian Watson imposing, Jameson Williams lighter amid ACL rehab as WRs, TEs get measured". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  11. Phillips, Rob (April 30, 2022). "4th-Round Pick Jake Ferguson Bolsters TE Depth". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  12. "Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - October 16th, 2022". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  13. "Jake Ferguson 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  14. "Jake Ferguson 2023 Game Log". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  15. "Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Three TDs in stunning playoff loss". CBSSports.com. January 15, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  16. Archer, Todd (July 27, 2025). "Cowboys sign Jake Ferguson to 4-year, $52 million extension". ESPN.com.
  17. Megargee, Steve (August 25, 2021). "Ferguson continuing family tradition for No. 12 Wisconsin". AP News. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  18. Landis, Bill (March 31, 2016). "Jake Ferguson, grandson of Barry Alvarez and 2017 ATH, commits to Wisconsin football". cleveland.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  19. "There's a 'Spaniard' in the NFL: the story of Jake Ferguson". AS USA. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  20. "Jake Ferguson stands out for the Cowboys and fans notice a detail on his helmet: Why is he wearing the Spanish flag?". Marca. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  21. Hurtado, Alexandra (April 18, 2025). "Haley Cavinder and Jake Ferguson's Relationship: All About the Athletes' Romance (and Beachfront Engagement!)". People . Retrieved April 18, 2025.