Ravens OLB Jaylon Ferguson almost unrecognizable (in a good way) at OTAs
By Justin Fried
When the Baltimore Ravens selected Jaylon Ferguson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the team hoped that they were landing their next great mid-round pass rusher.
Unfortunately, Ferguson has fallen well short of expectations in the NFL to this point. Now entering his fourth season, time is running out for the former Louisiana Tech star to make an impact.
To his credit, Ferguson is doing everything he can to secure not only a roster spot but a potential place in the front-seven rotation. That all starts with his physical conditioning.
Ferguson has reportedly shown up to OTAs in incredible shape. So much so that he’s almost unrecognizable at first glance.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec touched on this in a series of tweets in which he detailed how “it was striking how different he looked.” He even insisted that he was convinced someone else was wearing his jersey until he saw his nameplate.
I take attendance early at practice and check off the numbers as I see them. I saw the 45 and I was convinced it was somebody else. Didn't check him off until I saw his nameplate. That's how different he looked to me.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) June 1, 2022
Jaylon Ferguson is hoping to earn one final opportunity with the Ravens
Ferguson put together an illustrious college career that saw him break Terrell Suggs’ FBS sack record en route to becoming one of the most decorated pass rushers in college football history.
There were some concerns about whether his incredible production would translate to the NFL level, but the Ravens still felt comfortable enough to take him 85th overall in 2019.
It’s safe to say his NFL career has been a major disappointment to this point, however. In 38 career games, Ferguson has just 4.5 sacks and he’s seen his role diminish in each of his three seasons.
The 26-year-old played just 20 percent of defensive snaps this past season, down from the 57 percent he played as a rookie in 2019. Ferguson is on his last legs with the organization, but he’s clearly been putting in the work off the field.
We heard a similar story with Ferguson around this time last year, although an untimely bout with COVID-19 halted any progress he had made.
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Physical conditioning can only take a player so far, but it’s nice to hear just how radical Jaylon Ferguson’s transformation has been. Here’s to hoping that leads to greater success on the field come this season.