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PACKERS UPGRADE AIR GAME, SIGN WR ROBERT FERGUSON, SECOND-ROUND PICK
posted 07/23/01
 | | Robert Ferguson |
Officially upgrading their passing game, the Green Bay Packers have signed wide receiver Robert Ferguson of Texas A&M, their second-round selection in this year's NFL draft, to a multiyear contract, Andrew Brandt, the team's director of player finance, announced today.
A big, physical receiver (6-1 and 209 pounds) ideally suited to the "West Coast" offense the Packers operate, Ferguson was the 41st player chosen in the draft, his selection marking the highest the Packers have drafted a wide receiver since they chose Sterling Sharpe, their all-time leading receiver, with the seventh overall pick in the NFL's 1988 selection meeting.
Ferguson, who bench presses more than 400 pounds, led the Big 12 Conference in receptions last season while setting the school's single-season record for yards receiving (885) and gaining unanimous first-team, all-conference recognition in his one year at Texas A&M - before opting to turn pro after his junior year.
Complimenting his record statistical production last season, Ferguson demonstrated his toughness by playing through six different injuries (shin, both ankles, knee, hamstring and hand) at A&M.
He earlier had launched his collegiate career at Tyler (Texas) College, where he captured All-America honors after catching 90 passes for 1,181 yards (13.1-yard avg.) and 12 touchdowns for the Apaches over the 1998-99 seasons.
"The big key is going to be how quickly he can learn the system," Packers Offensive Coordinator Tom Rossley says of the 21-year-old wideout. "He stepped in at Texas A&M and learned the system in one year. That will be a big key here. We're counting on him to come in and play for us this season. We're going to start our best two players, and he has the ability to be one of our best two players."
As a prep, Ferguson played safety and wide receiver at Spring Woods High School in Houston, where he was a four-time letter winner and was named
"Defensive Player of the Year" by the Houston Touchdown Club as a senior in 1997, when he made 96 tackles and posted 6 interceptions. He augmented those contributions by catching 32 passes for 999 yards and 5 touchdowns during that final prep season. Ferguson also earned four letters for the school's basketball team, capturing all-district and all-city honors.
Ferguson is the fourth of the Packers' six selections in the 2001 draft to be signed, joining Penn State cornerback Bhawoh Jue (third round), offensive guard Bill Ferrario of Wisconsin (fourth round) and tight end David Martin of Tennessee (sixth round). Remaining to be signed: defensive end Jamal Reynolds of Florida State (first round) and linebacker Torrance Marshall of Oklahoma (third round).
In other transactions, the Packers waived linebacker Eugene McCaslin, a former 2000 seventh-round draft pick who spent most of last season on the club's practice squad before being activated and seeing action on the special teams in the season finale vs. Tampa Bay; placekicker Brett Sterba, a rookie free agent from William & Mary; and cornerback Andre' Dixon, a first-year player from Northeastern.
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