Why Terrance Ferguson Is Best Rookie on Rams’ Roster

A year ago, Davante Adams was in a similar situation. His young Las Vegas teammate, Brock Bowers, was preparing for not just the best season by a rookie tight end in NFL history but the best individual receiving campaign by any rookie ever.

If Adams’ presence can help the Rams get anything in Bowers’ solar system from second-round selection Terrance Ferguson, they’ll be ecstatic. Sports Illustrated analyst Daniel Flick believes the Rams’ new tight end will earn playing time and push incumbent Tyler Higbee.

“The Rams traded out of the first round and moved down 20 spots to select Ferguson at No. 46,” Flick wrote Thursday morning, naming Ferguson the best rookie on the Los Angeles roster. “Ferguson will complement—and eventually unseat—Tyler Higbee, who’s 32 years old and entering a contract year.

“But Ferguson also has the tools to make an impact in 2025. The former Oregon standout is athletic, has quality ball skills, and can generate yards after the catch. He’ll be a nice weapon for Matthew Stafford sooner rather than later.”

He was a nice weapon for Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix at Oregon. Over four years with the Ducks (2021-24), Ferguson finished with 1,537 yards and 16 touchdowns on 134 receptions (11.5 avg.). Oregon was 45-10 during his college career.

And like most of the Rams’ other skill players, Ferguson has a basketball background. Sean McVay has said he likes to build his wide-receivers room like a hoops team. Ferguson, who lettered in basketball, lacrosse, track and football as a prep, should fit right in next to former basketball players like Adams and Puka Nacua, who has special post-retirement plans for that sport.

Now 6-5 and 247 pounds, Ferguson averaged 9.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks as a junior, according to draft expert Dane Brugler.9

Don’t expect Higbee to roll out the red carpet for Ferguson. He’s 10 years older but obviously has much more NFL experience. The veteran has new life, too. He enters his 10th season much differently than he began 2024.

Higbee didn’t make his season debut until Week 15, recovering and rehabbing from a brutal knee injury. But he immediately made his presence felt in his first game, catching one pass on Dec. 22 in the Rams’ 19-9 road win over the Jets. Higbee’s 11-yard touchdown catch snapped a fourth-quarter tie and gave the Rams a 16-9 advantage. It also came 11 months after surgery to repair both the ACL and MCL in his right knee.

While Ferguson was helping Oregon navigate the College Football Playoff, Higbee was proving himself a dependable target for Stafford at the end of the year. Two of his eight regular-season catches were touchdowns as he helped the Rams secure the NFC West title and earn the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. He was even more dangerous in the two Los Angeles playoff games, totaling 12 catches for 112 yards and another touchdown.

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