Few things are permanent in college athletics. Every program has highs and lows, and each player only gets four full seasons of play. Talented new players are always apparating from high school to replace the seemingly irreplaceable graduating seniors. But some players are truly irreplaceable.
One of those guys is Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson. In two seasons at Oregon, Johnson went from an unknown Group of Five receiver to one of the top players in college football. After three years at Troy and two at Oregon, Johnson is out of college eligibility, and on Sunday he thanked family, fans, coaches, and more as he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Instagram.
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Johnson transferred to Oregon in 2023, after three seasons with the Troy Trojans, and he played two fantastic seasons as a Duck. Johnson has said Oregon was always dream school, and that he became a massive Ducks fan after he was gifted a Oregon hoodie as kid.
Included in Johnson’s Instagram post are heartfelt thank yous to both of his mothers (his biological mother Shamika Posey and his adoptive mother Krista Nix) and “The Coach he now calls Dad,” Patrick Nix.
Johnson made the most of his time at his dream school. He finished his Oregon career with 169 catches, 2080 receiving yards, 20 TDs, and one punt return touchdown. Despite only playing two seasons, Johnson’s 169 is the fourth-most at Oregon all-time. He finished only nine catches behind Jeff Maehl, and if he didn’t miss several games due to injury this season, Johnson would likely hold the record.
As one of college football’s top receivers and the brother of Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix, Johnson will surely draw interest from the NFL, although some scouts have expressed doubts due to his size. Although 5 feet 10 inches and 160 pounds is small for an NFL receiver, Johnson’s reliable hands and dynamic movement should make him successful at any level.
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