Cowboys player's insane stats prove why he can make life hard on rookie
If the Dallas Cowboys' position battles this offseason were stacked on a fight card, there's no questioning what position group would be the main event of the evening. The moment the team turned in the card for their second-round pick, it was clear they were welcoming a crazy battle with rookie Luke Schoonmaker and second-year […]
If the Dallas Cowboys' position battles this offseason were stacked on a fight card, there's no questioning what position group would be the main event of the evening.
The moment the team turned in the card for their second-round pick, it was clear they were welcoming a crazy battle with rookie Luke Schoonmaker and second-year Jake Ferguson for the starting role at tight end.
While Schoonmaker is the superior athlete, Ferguson's flashes of brightness in limited playing time are hard to ignore. But when looking at his numbers, that becomes even more clear. Let's dive into the stats I explored on my nightly show, A to Z Sports Dallas Primetime.
It's extremely easy to figure out what's Ferguson's biggest flaw on paper. It's his playing time. More specifically, his 37% snap count on offense last year. Can the Cowboys bet on him over Schoonmaker after just 23 targets and 19 catches last year?
Ferguson authored some moments of brilliance like that crazy juke that sent standout safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the ground in Philadelphia while he walked in for the touchdown. Or that crazy hurdle against the New York Giants in which he inspired some comparisons to some of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL, like Travis Kelce.
But just how good were his numbers last year? If we adjust Pro Football Focus' minimum targets to 23 (the amount Ferguson had), the young tight end ranked side to side with elite tight ends of the league.
- Yards per route run: 1.79, T-5th in the NFL
- NFL Rating when targeted: 133.3, 3rd
- PFF Receiving Grade: 75.2, 10th
In yards per route run, Ferguson trailed only Chifoziem Okwonko (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Mark Andrews (Ravens), and George Kittle (49ers), and was tied with Dallas Goedert (Eagles).
How would his numbers look like if he had been a starter? Impossible to answer. But these numbers go a long way in showing just why he has a chance to beat out the team's latest second-round draft pick regardless of his past as a UDFA.
