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Illinois running back Josh Ferguson wasn't selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, but he still managed to find a home with the Indianapolis Colts. Once the festivities wrapped up in Chicago, the two sides evidently worked very quickly to get an agreement hammered out. The exact details of the contract are unknown at this time.
Illinois RB Josh Ferguson signed by the RB needy #Colts
— Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) April 30, 2016
As an upperclassman, Ferguson was one of the most exciting and underrated players in the nation. He possesses tremendously quick feet, which allow him to easily evade tacklers at all levels of the defense. Ferguson is also a dangerous weapon in the passing game, where he's often a huge mismatch against linebackers in coverage. Overall, Ferguson's versatility and playmaking ability make him an ideal candidate to become a third-down back a the next level.
| Year | G | Att. | YDS | Avg. | TD | Rec. | YDS | Avg. | TD |
| 2011 | 3 | 14 | 52 | 3.7 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 10 | 75 | 312 | 4.2 | 0 | 29 | 251 | 8.7 | 0 |
| 2013 (SO) | 12 | 141 | 779 | 5.5 | 7 | 50 | 535 | 10.7 | 4 |
| 2014 (JR) | 13 | 146 | 735 | 5.0 | 8 | 50 | 427 | 8.5 | 2 |
| 2015 (SR) | 9 | 129 | 708 | 5.5 | 3 | 37 | 280 | 7.6 | 2 |
Ferguson has been on the NFL radar for a few years now, but his stock did experience a bit of a rise after his career at Illinois concluded. Most projections had the 5-foot-9, 198-pound prospect as a Round 5-6 selection, so the Colts are getting a great value here.
Highlights
NFL Comparison & Summary (Via NFL.com)
Comparison: Ronnie Hillman
Small and lean waterbug of a running back. Ferguson's ability to change direction instantaneously and create explosive yardage as a runner or pass catcher could make him a dangerous weapon in the hands of the right NFL team. Ferguson has the hands and route running potential to be considered as a slot receiver option to go along with being a change of pace back. Ferguson won't rack up a high number of touches in the pros, but he has the playmaking ability to make a game-changing play here or there.