Five picks later, and the kid from Littleton might’ve wound up in his own backyard.
Five picks later, and Terrance Ferguson might’ve stuck back in Denver, and had a merry reunion with Bo Nix as the Broncos’ matchup-nightmare tight end of the future.
On Friday night, though, as the top tier of tight ends slid off the board early into Day 2, the Los Angeles Rams and general manager Les Snead sat pretty at No. 46 — and snapped up Ferguson, just ahead of a temporary Broncos second-round slot at No. 51.
It’s not Denver. And the Rams concealed their hand from even Ferguson himself, holding just one formal interview with him with one member of the organization at the NFL combine, the tight end said on a conference call with Rams media Friday. But it’s a cushy landing spot for Ferguson, who’ll continue his journey from Littleton in a high-powered Rams offense well-suited to take advantage of his talents.
Los Angeles needed a big-bodied safety valve at tight end for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, with no Rams TE eclipsing 300 yards in 2024 and veteran mainstay Tyler Higbee coming off an injury-riddled season.
“I think I bring a lot of things,” Ferguson said Friday. “Versatility, as being the biggest, being able to stretch the field and create mismatches with linebackers or safeties. But, also be able to put my nose on somebody, you know?”
The 6-foot-5 Ferguson was a four-sport — yes, four-sport — athlete at Heritage, playing football, basketball, track and field and lacrosse. After racking up 472 yards in a six-game COVID-shortened season his senior year, he exited high school as .
He spent four years at Oregon, catching six touchdowns from Nix in 2023 before finishing with 591 yards for the 13-1 Ducks in 2024. For a stretch, it seemed as if Denver might target the hometown kid. Ferguson met with the Broncos at the combine and took a local visit in March. He waited for the call on Day 2 at his house in Denver, as he told Rams media Friday, with the same family that had supported his journey from Colorado.
But Ferguson will head to sunny Southern California, as offensive-genius head coach Sean McVay will attempt to shape him into the next great pass-catching NFL tight end. And he’ll get to tandem with 37-year-old Stafford, in a moment of serendipity for the young Ferguson.
, grew up a massive fan of both the Detroit Lions and Stafford. And after the Rams snagged Ferguson, Philip delivered his brother a message.
“(You) get to play with the G.O.A.T,” Philip told Terrance.
