Oregon may very well be the new program to develop tight ends at an elite rate, and this former Duck may have started the trend.
One former Oregon tight end has made serious noise during this offseason.
Los Angeles Rams tight end, and former Duck, Terrance Ferguson has caught the eye of his head coach, Sean McVay.
"I think he's a total stud. I think the future's incredibly bright," McVay told reporters. "He's got the ability to basically play every skill position on our offense. That's every receiver spot, that's every tight end spot. That's a real credit to his overall maturity, his intelligence, his football instincts and makeup. I think he played with great toughness, and I think the best is yet to come. He's got an incredibly high ceiling, particularly as a receiver, where he's able to make plays short, intermediate and down the field.”
McVay is widely known as one of the best offensive minds in football, so to receive praise like that is a great testament to the former Duck's career trajectory.
In his rookie season for the Rams, Ferguson saw limited action behind tight ends Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee. Ferguson posted 231 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just 25 targets.
While Parkinson is believed to be the top tight end in L.A., Higbee’s output has suffered for the past three seasons, potentially opening the door for the younger Ferguson.
“Terrance Ferguson has had a fantastic offseason,” reported Albert Breer of The Monday Morning Quarterback. ““He is now proving to be a guy who can play all over the formation and looks like he could be a force after the catch, showing why the Rams coveted him in the 2025 draft and now believe he could grow into one of the NFL’s best TEs.”
Not only that, McVay’s consistent usage of three tight end sets, otherwise known as 13 personnel, will also allow Ferguson to see more time on the field.
McVay, who calls the offense for the Rams, ran the three tight end set 331 times, which tripled the NFL record held by the Pittsburgh Steelers for 145 times.
It was the most efficient play style for the Rams, as they averaged 8.4 yards per pass play when there are three or more tight ends on the field, stonewalling the league average of 6.3 yards.
Ferguson's path to a breakout season is becoming clearer. With McVay already envisioning him as a chess piece capable of lining up anywhere, the former Oregon standout could be the next Duck to emerge as an NFL impact player.
