When you think of all-time great Oregon Duck receivers throughout time, names such as Samie Parker and Jeff Maehl come to mind.
Slowly, but surely, however, Johnny Johnson III is creeping into the conversation of the school’s best pass catchers in history. If you ask Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal or offensive coach Joe Moorhead, what Johnson means to this program goes far beyond the numbers.
“Him announcing that he was going to return tells you a couple of things,” Cristobal said of his star wideout in an Oregon Sports Network interview on Media Day Monday. “His commitment to improvement for himself individually, but also the fact that he wants more for Oregon and out of Oregon.”
Johnson could have easily been a second or third-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft but instead announced he would spend his senior season in Eugene. But for Johnson, choosing to stay at Oregon as a “super senior” went beyond football.
“It gives me more of an opportunity to lead, for sure,” he said on Oregon media day. “I get to be around a lot of these young dudes I wouldn’t have the chance to meet. It’s a blessing for me and I get to grow relationships as well as become a better football player at the same time.”
Those young dudes Johnson was talking about will get to watch a real veteran go about his craft and learn. Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead says the development of the young receivers in camp is a lot due to having Johnson there.
“Just his veteran presence and the fact that he’s performed very well, and in big games,” Moorhead said in an interview with OSN. “The young guys and even the older guys see how Johnny operates and the way he conducts himself, how hard he works in the weight room and on the field with every practice rep is at a very high level and he translates that to games.”
But they also have some big shoes to fill once Johnson does move on to the next level.
In his four seasons at Oregon, including the shortened season of 2020, Johnson has 114 receptions for 1,617 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s averaging over 14 yards per catch.
The Ducks have as much depth at the receiver position as any team in the country. But what most teams don’t have is a receiver that has had as much experience as Johnson will bring to the 2021 season.
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