5 wide receivers the Vikings could select in the 2019 NFL Draft
By Matt Falk
Jazz Ferguson (Northwestern State)
Measurements:
- Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 227 pounds
2018 Stats:
- 66 catches, 1,117 yards (16.9 average), 13 touchdowns
Something the Vikings’ current wide receiving corps lacks is that big body receiver who can create mismatches. Jazz Ferguson offers that and then some.
At 6-foot-5, he absolutely dominated at Northwestern State this past year. Not only does he have the size, but he surprisingly has the speed as well (4.45 40-yard dash time at the 2019 NFL Combine). Add that to his ability to make tough catches in traffic and also having a pretty good set of hands, Ferguson could be a mid-round steal in this year’s draft.
The big knock on Ferguson is if he is ready or not mentally to contribute in the NFL. He had some serious off-the-field issues at LSU before transferring to Northwestern State, which will rightfully scare some teams off.
With Minnesota, Ferguson would probably be looked at as a mild project. Someone they would bring along slowly, but also be able to still utilize his size in certain situations in the mean time. He would be able to battle guys like Zylstra and Treadwell (if he is on the team) for playing time from the very first moment he takes the practice field.
The toughest part about Ferguson is trying to guess when he comes off the board this year. If teams can get past his off-the-field issues, he could be a third or a fourth-round guy. If not, he could easily slip into round six and beyond.