Honors and Awards
2021: First-team All-Big Ten (coaches) ... second-team All-Big Ten (media) ... invited to the Senior Bowl ... drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys
2021 Preseason: John Mackey Award watch list, Lombardi Award watch list, Senior Bowl watch list, preseason All-America (Phil Steele 4th)
2020:Â John Mackey Award semifinalist, All-Big Ten first team (media)
2019: All-Big Ten honorable mention (consensus)
Career: Caught a pass in every game he played as a Badger ... set the school record for most consecutive games with a reception (47) ... 145 career receptions rank second all-time among UW tight ends ... 1,618 career receiving yards rank third all-time among UW tight ends
2021 Season: Earned fourth letter, starting all 13 games at tight end ... led the Badgers with 46 receptions for 450 yards and 3 touchdowns ... career-high 9 catches in the season opener vs. Penn State ... 8 catches for a season-high 92 yards in win over Nebraska
2020Â Season: Earned third letter, starting all 7 games at tight end ... collected 30 receptions for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns ... had a career high 7 receptions and 3 touchdowns vs. Illinois on Oct. 23 while netting 72 receiving yards ... posted 4 catches for 51 yards and a score at Michigan on Nov. 14 ... tied a career high with 7 catches for 58 yards at Northwestern on Nov. 21 ... collected 5 passes for 54 yards against Indiana on Dec. 5 ... caught 3 passes for 14 yards against Iowa on Dec. 12 ... had 3 catches for 35 yards against Minnesota on Dec. 19 ... hauled in a 21-yard pass vs. Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30.Â
2019 Season: Earned second letter, starting all 14 games at tight end ... caught 33 passes for 407 yards and 2 touchdowns ... set career highs with 5 receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown at Illinois on Oct. 19 ... had 4 catches for 44 yards vs. Oregon in Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 ... logged 4 catches for 62 yards vs. Michigan State on Oct. 12 ... made 3 receptions for 49 yards vs. Central Michigan on Sept. 7 ... had 3 catches for 22 yards in season opener at South Florida on Aug. 30
2018 Season: Earned first letter, playing in all 13 games with 2 starts at tight end … Badgers' second-leading receiver with 36 receptions for 456 yards and 4 touchdowns ... caught 3 passes for career-high 62 yards and 1 touchdown vs. Illinois on Oct. 20 ... had career-high 5 receptions for 46 yards and 1 touchdown vs. Minnesota on Nov. 24 ... caught 4 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown at Iowa on Sept. 22 ... made 4 catches for 47 yards and 1 touchdown vs. Nebraska on Oct. 6 ... caught 3 passes for 61 yards vs. BYU on Sept. 15 ... had 4 catches for 43 yards in Badgers debut vs. Western Kentucky on Aug. 31
2017 Season: Redshirt season
High School: Four-star recruit by 247 Sports and ESPN, three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout … selected for finals of Nike’s The Opening, rating as No. 2 tight end nationally … finished career with 1,795 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns … defensively, tallied 314 total tackles, 29 TFLs, 5 sacks, 5 interceptions and 4 forced fumbles … as a junior, named first-team All-Big Eight Conference as a wide receiver and linebacker … made All-Southwest Region at wide receiver by Wisconsin Football Coaches Association as a junior … caught 63 passes for 991 yards and 8 TDs as a junior, while also recording 99 tackles and 6 TFLs … second-team All-Big Eight as a sophomore … finished sophomore season with 133 tackles, including 22 TFLs and 2 sacks, and 3 interceptions … three-year team captain … helped lead Memorial to Division 1 state semifinal in basketball as a senior, earning third-team All-Big Eight Conference honors … honorable mention all-conference honors in basketball as a junior … also lettered in baseball … coach was Adam Smith
Personal: Parents are Brad Ferguson and Dawn Alvarez Thomas … father played football at Nebraska … brother, Joe, played safety for the Badgers from 2013-17 … grandson of former UW Director of Athletics and football head coach Barry Alvarez
