OLT D’Brickashaw Ferguson
New York Jets
Height: 6-6, Weight: 310, Speed: 5.1e

Notes: Has come a long way since walking off the practice field — seemingly quitting football — as a high school freshman. Despite his playing weight fluctuating between 245 and 260 pounds, he started at left tackle from Day One at the University of Virginia, earning All-America honors as a senior, before being selected No. 4 overall by the Jets in 2006. Upon arriving in New York this past January, first-year Jets head coach Rex Ryan compared his left tackle to seven-time Pro Bowler Lomas Brown. A Pro Bowl alternate himself in ’08, Ferguson has taken his game to another level the past season and a half, beginning to live up to the lofty expectations he entered the league with. Gave up 23 sacks in his first two seasons, but has allowed just 6½ in the last 25 games. Ferguson, who grew up just minutes from the Jets' practice facility, was a religious studies major at Virginia and is praised for his exemplary character. Has been very durable throughout his career — has not missed a pro start and started all 49 games in which he played as a collegian, sitting out only two contests as a senior with a knee injury.

Positives: Has long arms and above-average upper-body strength. Light on his feet and displays excellent balance. Sets quickly with a fluid kickslide to cut off the edge rush — is seldom beat to the corner. Plays with a wide base and natural knee bend. Uses his hands very well — latches on, extends and controls defenders. Hands and feet work well in unison. Can shuffle, slide and mirror. Demonstrates agility and body control on the move — explodes through the hole and is able to stalk second- and third-level players. Plays with awareness and reacts to blitzers.

Negatives: High-cut and does not possess ideal lower-body bulk strength. Is not a bulldozer in the run game — lacks power in his legs to drive larger defenders off the ball. Will overextend and fall off some blocks. Oversets and leaves himself vulnerable to the bull rush when he lets his pads rise off the snap. Does not always adjust to counter moves — opens up his shoulders and can be slow to counter and shift his weight. Is not overly nasty and could stand to finish more consistently.

Summary: Lean, high-waisted pass protector with prototypical size, arm length, balance and athletic ability. Is not the meanest or most physical and was too easily overpowered his first two years in the league, but has matured into a more sound pass protector, capable of running edge rushers wide with ease or winning a hand fight. While he has not quite lived up to the considerable hype surrounding his emergence from Virginia four years ago, Ferguson is a durable, well-conditioned blind-side sentinel who figures to protect franchise QB Mark Sanchez for years to come.

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