Jaylon_Ferguson

Jaylon Ferguson

Jaylon Ferguson

American football player (1995–2022)


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.

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In February 2019, the National Football League (NFL) rescinded their invitation to Ferguson to attend the NFL Scouting Combine after discovering his misdemeanor simple battery conviction from 2015.[1]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

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Professional career

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Ferguson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round (85th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.[10] On July 19, 2019, Ferguson was placed on the reserve/NFI list with a hamstring injury.[11] He was removed two days later.[12] On September 22, 2019, Ferguson made his NFL debut, recording 18 snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs.[13] He recorded his first-career tackle two weeks later against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[14] He made his first NFL start on November 3 against the New England Patriots.[15] On November 17, Ferguson recorded his first-career sack against the Houston Texans, bringing down Deshaun Watson in the second quarter.[16] Three weeks later, he recorded his second sack against the Buffalo Bills, sacking Josh Allen.[17]

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.[18] Ferguson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Ravens on November 28, 2020,[19] and activated two days later.[20] In the 2020 season, Ferguson started in one game and appeared in 14 total, finishing the season with 2.0 sacks and 30 tackles.[21] In 2021, Ferguson appeared in 10 games, recording six tackles but no sacks.[21]

Personal life and death

Ferguson had a son and two daughters with his fiancée.[22]

Ferguson died in Baltimore on June 21, 2022, at the age of 26.[23] Police indicated that while the death was "questionable", there were initially no signs of foul play or trauma.[24] 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."[23] 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.[25]

Ferguson's brother, Jazz Ferguson, currently plays for the DC Defenders of the XFL.[26]


References

  1. "After West Feliciana's Jaylon Ferguson uninvited to NFL combine, agent releases statement". The Advocate. February 14, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  2. Weathers, William (December 17, 2016). "The sacks kept stacking up for Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson". The Advocate. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  3. USA Today Network (August 21, 2017). "La. Tech's Jaylon Ferguson aims high". Shreveporttimes.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  4. Weathers, William (December 19, 2017). "Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech look to sack SMU in Frisco Bowl". The Advocate. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  5. Diaz, Cory (August 9, 2018). "Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson returns for the 'right reasons'". Shreveporttimes.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  6. Diaz, Cory (November 1, 2018). "Origin of #SackDaddy: How LA Tech's Ferguson got the nickname that's catching on". Thenewsstar.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  7. "Smith Leads Louisiana Tech Past Hawaii 31-14 in Hawaii Bowl". thehawaiibowl.com. December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  8. "Jaylon Ferguson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  9. Brown, Clifton (April 26, 2019). "Ravens Draft Edge Rusher Jaylon Ferguson". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  10. Brandt, Caroline (July 19, 2019). "Ravens Roundup: Ravens place Brown, Ferguson on reserve/NFI list". NBC Sports Washington. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  11. Schiller, Joe (July 22, 2019). "Michael Pierce, Daylon Mack and Jaylon Ferguson Pass Physicals Ahead of Training Camp". 105.7 The Fan. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  12. "Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs - September 22nd, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  13. "Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers - October 6th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  14. "New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens - November 3rd, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  15. RotoWire Staff (November 18, 2019). "Ravens' Jaylon Ferguson: Notches first career sack". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  16. Brown, Clifton (December 9, 2019). "Ravens Pass Rush Is a Problem – For Opponents". Baltimoreravens.com. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  17. Brown, Clifton (November 28, 2020). "Six Ravens Added to Reserve/COVID-19 List". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  18. Brown, Clifton; Mink, Ryan (November 30, 2020). "Four More Ravens Added to Reserve/COVID-19 List, Four Return". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  19. "Jaylon Ferguson Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  20. "The two sides of Baltimore Ravens rookie Jaylon Ferguson". pennlive. November 29, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  21. Hensley, Jamison (June 22, 2022). "Baltimore Ravens LB Jaylon Ferguson dies at age 26". ESPN. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  22. Prudente, Tim (June 22, 2022). "Baltimore Police investigating 'questionable' death of Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson". Baltimore Banner. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  23. "Jazz Ferguson - Demon Football". Northwestern State University Athletics. Retrieved June 7, 2023.

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