The NFL was rocked this morning by the news of the death of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jaylon Ferguson at the age of 26. Ferguson, who was born in Zachary, played his high school ball at West Feliciana before attending Louisiana Tech, where he earned the nickname “Sack Daddy” while racking up an FBS-record 45 sacks in his career. His coach at West Feliciana, Robb Odom is in shock…
“Thinking about Jay, you know, brings a smile to my face and tears to my eyes,” said Odom. “Just thinking, he was an outstanding young man and a great football player. But that smile would light up a room.”
Odom says Ferguson was one of the building blocks of the West Feliciana program as it climbed from contending during his high school career to winning the 3A state title in 2017. Ferguson set the tone in the locker room and on the field, serving as a leader and role model for his teammates.
“When you’ve got kids like Jaylon that show up every day and work their tail off, you know, it trickles down to the other kids,” he said. “He meant a great deal to not only our football program but the school and the community.”
Jaylon Ferguson is survived by his son and two daughters and his fiancee Doni Smith. Odom says in a short time Ferguson left a strong legacy as both a competitor and as a man.
“A real tough kid and a great competitor,” said Odom of Ferguson. “All the things you want in a college and pro football player, but just a better person.”
A Baltimore police spokesperson called the death “questionable,” but said there were no signs of foul play or trauma to his body. An autopsy is still pending.
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