Cowboys Scouting Report: New TE Jake Ferguson 'Play Right Away'; NFL Draft

"I'm just really excited to get to Dallas, get to work, and put that star on my helmet.'' - Jake Ferguson.

FRISCO - The Cowboys have taken Jake Ferguson in Round 4. He's the 6-5, 240-pound tight end from Wisconsin. ... and if owner Jerry Jones is to be believed, he has a "chance to play right away.''

Dalton Schultz is the starter, of course, and is franchised-tagged. But behind him?

"I'm just really excited to get to Dallas, get to work, and put that star on my helmet,'' Ferguson said in his The Fan interview.

What do our guys at SI Draft Bible say here? ... the scouting report ...

One-Liners

Old school, in-line tight end who is an extremely competitive and technically refined blocker with sticky hands but is an average athlete and lacks route salesmanship and route diversity.

Pros:

Jake Ferguson is an experienced and competitive tight end prospect who can align in-line and as an H-back. Ferguson excels as a run blocker, whether it is zone or gap/power, the offense can trust in him to rarely lose a rep due to his technique and elite competitive toughness. He’s best as an in-line blocker, positioning himself well with a wide stance and low pad level while squaring up to his target. He regularly shoots his hands into the defender's chest and has the grip strength to sustain his block as he drives his legs to consistently create displacement. Ferguson has proven he can block defensive ends, linebackers and defensive backs one-on-one and is even effective blocking for screens while in space due to solid foot speed and the quick processing skills to locate his target. Ferguson is also dependable when asked to pass protect as he uses his hands very well at the point-of-attack and can push linebackers and defensive backs away from the pocket. Ferguson also adds value in the passing game by finding holes versus zone coverages and in the red zone, where his catch radius is very beneficial for quarterbacks. He possesses sticky and reliable hands as he can make catches above his head and below his knees. Furthermore, Ferguson’s competitiveness is also on display during contested-catch scenarios as he never gives up on a play and ensures he wins the battle at the catch point, despite a defender breathing down his neck.

Cons:

Ferguson provides immense dependability but lacks the athletic traits to warrant a high ceiling. He has a narrow frame which could lead to question marks about how he holds up one-on-one versus NFL-sized defensive ends. In addition, Ferguson’s average athleticism and lack of route salesmanship hurts his ability to separate vs man coverage and he lacks the agility and change of direction to win at the break or after the catch. Furthermore, Wisconsin limited his role as a receiver and asked him to run a sparse route tree, primarily curls and outs. He’s not going to stress the defense up the seam or excel when aligned in the slot.

The Cowboys are filling needs with their so-far picks of "shocker'' Round 1 offensive lineman Tyler Smith (info here), Round 2 edge Sam Williams (a controversial pick) and Round 3 receiver Jalen Tolbert (already "hooking up'' with Dak Prescott.)

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