Jazz Ferguson aims to impress the NFL scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, the biggest stage leading up to the NFL draft, which takes place in Indianapolis from Feb. 26 – March 4.
Ferguson is one of 338 players in the nation invited to attend the combine, one of 48 wide receivers and the first Demon since Deon Simon in 2015 to be invited to the NFL combine. He hopes to be the eleventh Demon drafted into the NFL since 2002.
He declared for the NFL draft on Dec. 4 and waited anxiously until Jan. 29 when he received his official invitation to attend this year’s combine.
“It was always a dream,” Ferguson said. “I never thought I would be one of the few guys invited to the combine.”
With the football season over, the combine is the final mark for athletes to put down on their resume to the NFL scouts. And with only 256 picks in the NFL draft, it’s important for the 338 attendees to stand out from the competition.
Ferguson set six NSU records during his time at NSU, received All-American honors and was named the All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana Offensive Player of the Year in his junior campaign.
By the end of the season, the 6-foot-5 receiver had 1,117 receiving yards on 66 catches, scoring 13 touchdowns and averaging 101.5 yards receiving per game.
“His catch radius is out of this room,” Shelton Eppler quarterback for NSU said. “It’s such a good feeling knowing if I threw it up, he was coming down with it.”
Brad Laird, who just finished his first season as NSU’s head coach, hopes that scouts can see what Jazz brings to the table off the field just as much as on it.
“As a head coach when you have someone of his caliber on the field that can exemplify leadership, strength and conditioning it makes your football team better,” Laird said. “Scouts will see he’s a great football player.”
Ferguson focuses his efforts before the draft training at the Armed Sports Performance Training facility, which was founded by former NFL player Derrick Braylock.
“I need to keep pushing,” Ferguson said. “The job isn’t over yet.”
