Tez Johnson & The Bucs
April 20th, 2025
Keep in mind that Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht made small receiver Jaelon Darden a fourth-round draft pick in 2021 after making little guy Scotty Miller a sixth-round pick in 2019.
Bucs walk-on Adam Humphries was a Licht favorite and a fan favorite for years. So yeah, Licht is not against small receivers he thinks can help the offense or the return game.
Enter Bucky Irving’s Oregon teammate, wide receiver Tez Johnson. His college resume is a lot more impressive than those of Miller and Darden.
Johnson spent two years at Oregon after transferring in following three years at Troy University. He’s 5-10, 154 pounds. That’s no typo, 154.
Small guy, big production.
In the Big 10 Championship game last season, Johnson racked up 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown against Penn State. Over the past two seasons, Johnson has 20 touchdowns, 2,000+ yards and 169 catches with Oregon.
And he was a strong punt returner the past two years. The highlights on Johnson scream “slippery.”
Johnson is widely projected as a fourth-round draft pick this week. He wowed at the Senior Bowl but many consider his 4.51-second time in the 40 yard dash to be disappointing.
Joe is intrigued. The highlight reel is a fun watch.
Johnson represents a luxury pick for the Bucs, but he could become quite a chess piece over a long season.
Draft guru Sean Sullivan breaks down this year’s receivers class in Best In Class.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Groundhog Day. Drinking is more fun.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:41 am
5,10 is fine. 154 lbs is not. Big hitters in the NFL.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:42 am
4.51 40 for such a small guy is pretty bad. OLBs could chase this guy down. Hard pass unless he is a walk on or udfa.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:44 am
I just watched his highlights and that is the fastest 4.51 I have ever seen!
April 20th, 2025 at 11:46 am
PS – Jason has to be as sick as we are of the Jaelen Darden scared clones, like Palmer, Jarrett, the Kam Johnson fraud. No way Jason is picking someone with that profile. He’d be a hall of fame flag footballer, look for him in the Olympics.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:48 am
Jack Sawyer and Demetrius Knight were good player spotlights. Rest eh, not so much.
Will be interesting if front office locks those two down.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:52 am
I’d prefer targeting guys like Jaylin Noel (Iowa State), Jalen Royals (Utah State), Jack Bech (TCU), Elic Ayomanor (Stanford), Pat Bryant (Illinois), or Isaac TeSlaa (Arkansas) around the same pick or a bit later.
April 20th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Watched his reel.
Solid receiver with good hands, elusiveness and emotional uplift.
Weakness seems to be that he goes down easy. Saw a lot of one arm tackles bring him down. Then again, there ain’t much to him.
He appears to be better than Palmer, but heat do I know …
April 20th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
@Josh
Keep an eye on Joaquin Davis from North Carolina Central. He could be a sleeper & he’s fast, too!
April 20th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
@Josh
Roc Taylor from Memphis is another one to keep an eye on, too!
April 20th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
@Josh
Joaquin Davis from North Carolina Central is another one to keep an eye on, too! He’s fast, too!
April 20th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
If we’re comparing Johnson to Dardung and Miller that’s a hard pass for me.
April 20th, 2025 at 12:25 pm
Even Anthony Carter was 168
April 20th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Oregon Duck here … Tez is tiny. He’s not an NFL player.
If you want a Duck this year, it’s Terrance Ferguson. He’s AWESOME! Best TE we’ve ever had. Amazing at 3rd down conversions. Not sure why no one is talking about him.
April 20th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
@Josh
Donte Thornton from Tennessee Dacari Collins from North Carolina St & Jordan Moore & Eli Pancol from Duke are a couple others to keep an eye on, too!
April 20th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
I’ve always liked Jack Bech as a prospect, but after he lost his brother in the New Orleans shooting, I expect him to play with a different kind of motivation. Especially if he got to play there every year. He’s no longer doing it just for himself—it’s for his brother and his family now. I see the game through a lens that values heart and resilience as much as traits—and Bech fits that mold.
I’ll try to check those guys out, Tony. As for Tez Johnson, he doesn’t really impress me, Joe. He just doesn’t seem to have that “it” factor. He catches the ball well and is definitely shifty, but he’s not fast, his route tree is limited, and he’s undersized for the NFL. Without elite speed—like Tyreek Hill or Xavier Worthy—I just don’t see it.
Maybe he’s shifty enough to not need that elite speed, like Bucky proved last year. But as much as I love Bucky, and as much as he reminds me of a poor man’s version of Barry Sanders, he still lacks top-end speed. Bucky can make guys miss in a phone booth, but that lack of breakaway speed shows when plays stretch downfield. So, while I could see Tez becoming a decent slot receiver or returner, I don’t see him consistently winning on go routes the way he did in college. Tez might flash as a gadget guy or returner, but without that deep threat ability translating against NFL DBs, he probably ends up in that fringe WR3/4 tier unless he really develops as a technician.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
@Josh
Yep I’d definitely consider drafting Bech also if they do plan on another WR.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
I’ve always liked those small ‘jitterbug’ guys in the slot! I would LOVE to have one too, but one with BREAKAWAY speed. 4.5 is not good enough. Wish we could find one. Was hoping Palmer was capable of being ‘that guy’ but for whatever reason he is not… And, that has been VERY disappointing. What a TERRIBLE season he had last year, even when he was given EVERY opportunity imaginable, with injuries to Godwin, Evans, & JMac. He did not STEP UP. An absolute non factor. He could be the ‘wildcard’ to this offense this season, & give it that little BURST it needs! BUT, that’s up to HIM to show up and show out! NOW, is the time. There are NO more excuses. Period.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
He ran a 4.51. In a straight line with no pads. No helmet.
What does that really mean?
And if he ran 4.41, that would be considered elite.
Has anyone ever counted off one tenth of a second? No. You can’t. Because it is so small.
Production in college is much more important than a bunch of useless measurements made for TV ratings.
April 20th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
4.51 and only a 154lbs yeah pass
April 20th, 2025 at 1:48 pm
I have only seen him play against the Buckeyes. A complete non-factor. Tony Randall from Odd Couple would have done better.
April 20th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
It means NFL linebackers will likely be able to catch him. The NFL is on an entirely different level—it’s honestly remarkable. For example, KJ Britt ran a 4.76-second 40-yard dash and still looked slower than molasses on the field. Will Tez still make plays and show speed in space? Absolutely! However, he will almost certainly be caught from behind, much like Bucky. But he’s much smaller than Bucky 40lbs lighter as a matter of fact like Joe pointed out.
He has that jitterbug style and can undoubtedly make plays underneath—on drag routes, quick outs, and screens. But once he turns upfield, NFL linebackers and safeties with 4.5–4.6 speed are still going to run him down. It’s like he can separate and win routes, but he’s not a “take-the-top-off” threat or a home-run hitter unless he catches the defense off guard, or he breaks some tackles which at 150lbs is unlikely.
April 20th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
You had me with….”he was a strong punt returner the past two years.”
April 20th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Darden was trash, how he still has a job is puzzling
April 20th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
Maybe for a late round pick – 6th or 7th,
April 20th, 2025 at 3:54 pm
Happy 4/20 ✌🏼❤️
And remember boys and girls…. Alcohol IS a DRUG
April 20th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
Sounds like a late round special
April 20th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
Sounds like a wasted pick.
April 20th, 2025 at 10:52 pm
Josh. Stats are for geeks
April 21st, 2025 at 1:36 am
I don’t think it’s legal to put a 154lb dude out there Joe. Safetys and Corners at 200lbs? Ouch! I doubt he will have any luck in press man or blocking those guys.
Loved Scooter but he had the same problems. Hump was a bit bigger and tough as nails. 5-11 195lbs
Go Bucs!
April 21st, 2025 at 6:58 am
Xavier Restrepo – Great hands, superior routes, and Double Tough.
April 21st, 2025 at 8:14 am
I would give him a shot. Straight line speed. Who as a ball carrier runs in a straightline? Watching Tez’s film I’ve seen that he has elite burst and acceleration. He reads the soft spots in zones. The majority of our plays were short routes last year. Why not allow Evans and Godwin stretch the field while we have this guy in the slot 2 still threaten the short routes. I think it would be a mistake 2 allow a weapon like him 2 go 2 KC. He has confidence in his quickness which makes him a threat. Him going down easy is a way 2 protect the play. 8 yard gain ok let’s keep that, not risk a fumble or injury, live 2 play another play. Having said that it seems 2 me that when needed he will fight 4 the yards depending on game situation. 4.51 doesn’t scare me. It’s the weight but weight can always be added on. I think bucky being former teammates gave licht n co. insight so if we do take him trust the process. Would hate 2 take him in the 4th but he most likely won’t be there in the 5th. I think his return game will significantly boost our special teams. Speed is overrated it’s what u can do with the ball. Tez is a playmaker.