The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine will kick off the on-field drills on Thursday, and over the next few days, the top pro football prospects will do everything they can to show NFL teams that they are exactly what each team is looking for. Through on-field drills, physical and medical testing, and in-depth interviews to assess how a player will fit with a given team, all 32 teams will leave Indianapolis knowing loads more about football's best prospects than they did at the start of the week.
Players must be invited to the combine, and as one of the top college football teams in 2024, 12 Oregon Ducks were extended invites, one of whom is Ducks ' tight end, Terrance Ferguson . In the class of 2021, Ferguson was a 4-star recruit from Littleton, Colorado, and over four seasons at Oregon, he became one of the best tight ends in college football, racking up 134 catches, 1,537 yards, and 16 touchdowns in his career.
Tight end drills are slotted for Friday afternoon in Indianapolis, but on Thursday, Ferguson spoke to media, previewing his combine showcase and shining light on his draft process so far. When asked about running the 40-yard dash, the NFL Combine's famous speed assessment, Ferguson felt nothing but confidence in his quickness.
"It's gonna be fast," Ferguson said. I'm not going to give too many hints but it's going to be fast."
At 6 feet 6 inches and 230 pounds, one can only be so fast, but during his time at Oregon, Ferguson showed he was one of the quickest tight ends in college football. If his proclamations bear fruit on Friday, NFL teams will certainly perk their ears up, and Ferguson's draft stock could begin to rise. For those unfamiliar with Ferguson's speed, check out his 62-yard catch-and-run from a screen pass against Michigan State last fall.
For tight ends, a 40-time from 4.75 seconds to five seconds is typical. 4.6 is fast, and 4.5 is really fast. The fastest tight end time ever was set in 2006 by Vernon Davis and tied in 2010 by Dorin Dickerson at 4.4 flat. Evan Engram is the runner-up at 4.42 seconds, and two guys have run the dash in 4.49 seconds.
We'll be tuned into Ferguson's 40-yard dash attempts on Friday afternoon, but it's important to remember that Ferguson's speed isn't what makes his game. Ferguson's hands are elite, he finds the soft spots in zones, and he's a matchup nightmare one-on-one, making him so dependable in 'gotta have it' situations. In a tight-end-heavy class, it seems likely that Ferguson will fall from the first round, but whichever team chooses him in the second or third round gets a steal.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Football TE Terrance Ferguson hints at fast 40-yard dash time
