Ravens’ Jaylon Ferguson dies at 26: Linebacker was a third-round pick in 2019 NFL Draft. The promising young NFL pass-rusher has died.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson has died at the age of 26, the team announced on Wednesday. Ferguson was a third-round pick of the Ravens in 2019 who earned his way into the NFL by becoming a star player for Louisiana Tech. In three seasons with the Ravens, Ferguson totaled 67 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Ferguson was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and earned first-team All-C-USA honors on two separate occasions — while setting school and NCAA sack records in the process.
After earning MVP honors in the 2018 Hawaii Bowl, the Louisiana native was selected by the Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft as the 85th overall pick, spending three seasons in Baltimore and ingratiating himself with the city. The Ravens organization issued the following statement after Ferguson’s death:
“We profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson. He was a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and infectious personality. We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon’s family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon.”
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson has died at the age of 26, the team announced Wednesday morning.
Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Jaylon Ferguson died last month due to “the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine,” officials announced on Friday.
In a statement to TMZ Sports, a spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, Maryland added the death was ruled an accident.
No further details were made available.
As we reported, Ferguson was found unresponsive at a Baltimore residence on June 21 and, according to cops, never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead by medics on the scene.
At the time, cops did not suspect foul play … and added they were investigating the possibility that Ferguson had suffered an overdose.
He was just 26 years old.
Jaylon was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft … and played in 38 total games for the team the last three seasons, tallying 4.5 sacks and 67 tackles.
He had previously starred at Louisiana Tech, where he set the NCAA record for most career sacks.
Jaylon Ferguson Cause of Death
Jaylon Ferguson Autopsy Report
Ferguson, was just beginning his fourth NFL season after being selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2019 draft out of Louisiana Tech.
In a second update to TMZ Sports, the Baltimore Police Dept. says “investigators are not ruling out the possibility of an overdose.”
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In a social media post, the Ravens said the organization was “profoundly saddened by the tragic passing” and called Ferguson “a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and an infectious personality.
“We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon’s family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon.”
Ferguson was potentially battling to keep his roster spot on the Ravens this season, but a recent report following the team’s voluntary workouts noted he was “much slimmer and quicker” than in the past.
“Jaylon, right now, he’s doing a great job. He’s competing,” defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald told Sports Illustrated. “The techniques that we’re teaching are slightly different than he knows, so that’s a little bit of a learning curve for him, but once he gets out there full-go and rolling, then I expect him to compete.”
Ferguson played in 38 games over three seasons and recorded 4.5 career sacks.