Jake Ferguson ready to help lead Dallas Cowboys tight ends
Following the departure of tight end Dalton Schultz, the Dallas Cowboys have a leadership vacuum at the position. However, there are a slew of former Big Ten tight ends vying to follow in Schultz’s footsteps this season. Jake Ferguson, a 2022 draftee for the Cowboys, has an opportunity to do just that after playing 16 games last season.
Going into his second year in the league, Ferguson told reporters he’s feeling “more comfortable.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m comfortable but I would say just more [comfortable than I was as a rookie],” Ferguson said at camp. “Think I know what’s going on and I know what to expect a little bit more, and I know what to expect out of myself, but also that ceiling that I think I need to reach as a player and also for this team.
“I mean, I love it. Like kind of came out last year. I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t really know.’ And now this year, I’m like, ‘Go put your head down and let’s get after it.'”
In 2022, Ferguson had 19 catches on 22 targets for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow backup tight end Peyton Hendershot added another 11 catches for 103 yards. Also in the room is veteran Sean McKeon with four years of experience under his belt.
The mix of personalities and experience in the tight ends room gives Ferguson the opportunity to be a leader and a follower, depending on the circumstance.
“I think we got a lot of great guys that have leadership qualities,” Ferguson said. “I think, in different scenarios, I might be a leader. In some scenarios, I might be following, but that’s okay. I think we have a great dynamic in our room right now.”
Cowboys second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker takes mental reps
The Dallas Cowboys are still waiting on second-round draft pick Luke Schoonmaker to make his debut on the field in Oxnard. The former Michigan standout has dealt with a foot injury since before the draft. Though he started camp in a boot, he’s been able to get out of the boot and move around for mental reps with the team.
“It’s always tough not being able to be in there with an injury,” Ferguson said of Schoonmaker. “That’s something you can’t really control. But when he’s not out there, you see him going through those mental reps. You can see how much he wants to be out there.”
“Today, he was so fired up that he was running and almost slipped and I was like, ‘Calm down. We’re just in a walkthrough right now, Schoon,'” Ferguson added. “That’s great to see though — him taking in the mental reps. And that’s what you’ve got to do so when he does get in there he’s gonna be lights-out.”
Schoonmaker had his best season as a senior for Michigan. He finished with 35 catches for 418 yards and three touchdowns while helping the Wolverines to a Big Ten Championship.
Mike McCarthy shared last week that he’s hopeful the second-round pick will make it onto the field before the end of camp.