First-year TE Terrance Ferguson predicted to have a big season
There are now 100 days until the 2025 Los Angeles Rams’ season, and excitement continues to build. The Rams are a perceived Super Bowl contender and will likely call on their top young talent to reach Santa Clara. ESPN had quite the “bold prediction” for rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson this season.
ESPN’s Ben Solak not only predicted Ferguson to be one of Matthew Stafford’s top targets, but also expects him to outproduce L.A.’s top free agent acquisition:
“Rams rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson will supplant Tyler Higbee as the starter by Week 5 and end the season as the second-best target in L.A. behind Puka Nacua (and ahead of Davante Adams). Call it 63 catches, 821 yards and six scores.”
Los Angeles drafted Ferguson with the 46th overall pick out of Oregon. He was the highest-drafted tight end from the school since Russ Francis went No. 16 overall in the 1975 draft.
Most notably, Ferguson was the program’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (134) and receiving touchdowns (16), and ranked second all-time in receiving yards (1,537). During his final season with the Ducks, his 43 receptions tied Oregon’s single-season record for most catches by a TE.
L.A. entered the draft needing insurance for Tyler Higbee. The veteran is already on the wrong side of 30 and sat out most of the 2024 campaign while recovering from a devastating knee injury. Ferguson is the ideal player to inject young blood into the offense.
Supplanting Higbee should be expected, yet outproducing Davante Adams is a tad unrealistic. Rookie tight ends normally have a tough transition into the NFL. Only seven have ever gone over 800 receiving yards in a season, with Brock Bowers, Mike Ditka and Kyle Pitts the lone TE trio to amass 1,000-yard campaigns.
Solak indeed had a bold prediction for Ferguson, but it’s essential to temper expectations as the Oregon product adjusts to the pros. Although, it would be pretty cool to watch him pop off like Bowers and take the league by storm, especially against the Whiners.
