Tez Johnson
{{Short description|American football player (born 2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tez Johnson
| image = MBN S24G09 ORE-31 (54114236221) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Johnson with the Oregon Ducks in 2024
| current_team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| number = 83
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|5|18}}
| birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 154
| high_school = Pinson Valley {{nowrap|(Pinson, Alabama)}}
| college = Troy (2020–2022)
Oregon (2023–2024)
| draftyear = 2025
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 235
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| pfr = JohnTe03
}}
Keyonteze "Tez" Johnson{{Cite web |last=Oram |first=Bill |date=2023-08-30 |title=Bill Oram: The 'so storybook' tale of how Tez Johnson and Bo Nix became brothers, Oregon Ducks teammates |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2023/08/bill-oram-the-so-storybook-tale-of-how-tez-johnson-and-bo-nix-became-brothers-oregon-ducks-teammates.html |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=oregonlive |language=en}} (born May 18, 2002) is an American professional wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Troy Trojans and the Oregon Ducks. Johnson was selected by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
Johnson was born on May 18, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama.{{Cite web|url=https://troytrojans.com/sports/football/roster/tez-johnson/9753|publisher=Troy Trojans|title=Tez Johnson}} His father died by suicide when he was an infant and Johnson grew up in government subsidized housing in Pinson, Alabama. At age 15, he was taken in by the family of quarterback Bo Nix, whose father Pat was his high school football coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.koin.com/sports/tez-johnson-adoptive-brother-of-bo-nix-poised-for-breakout-season/|publisher=KOIN|title=Tez Johnson, adoptive brother of Oregon QB Bo Nix, poised for breakout season |author=Greene, Brenna|date=August 9, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2023/08/bill-oram-the-so-storybook-tale-of-how-tez-johnson-and-bo-nix-became-brothers-oregon-ducks-teammates.html|website=OregonLive.com|title=The 'so storybook' tale of how Tez Johnson and Bo Nix became brothers, Oregon Ducks teammates|date=August 30, 2023|author=Oram, Bill|url-access=subscription}} He played football at Pinson Valley High School, with Nix and helped them win the class 6A state championship.
Johnson was a three-year starter at the school and was a first-team all-state selection as a junior when he caught 106 receptions for 1,457 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 17-catch, 247-yard, three-touchdown performance in one game which was the eighth-most catches in a game in state history.{{Cite news|url=https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2019/12/18/national-signing-day-pinsonvalleys-tez-johnson-signs-to-play-football-at-troy-hawkins-to-samford/|newspaper=Trussville Tribune|title=National Signing Day: Pinson Valley's Tez Johnson signs to play football at Troy; Hawkins to Samford|date=December 18, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/tez-johnson/16125|publisher=Oregon Ducks|title=Tez Johnson}}{{Cite news|url=https://duckswire.usatoday.com/lists/transfer-profile-5-things-to-know-about-oregons-new-wr-tez-johnson/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Transfer Profile: 5 things to know about Oregon's new WR Tez Johnson|date=December 30, 2022|author=Smalley, Don}} He caught 62 passes for 1,140 yards and 12 scores as a senior while being invited to the Alabama–Mississippi All-Star Game. Ranked a three-star recruit and the 39th-best player in the state by ESPN, he chose to play college football for the Troy Trojans.
College career
Johnson entered Troy in 2020 and as a true freshman played 11 games totaling 18 receptions for 211 yards.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/article/oregon-lands-troy-leading-wr-bo-nixs-adopted-brother-tez-johnson-201639209/|website=247Sports|title=Oregon lands Troy leading WR, Bo Nix's adopted brother Tez Johnson via transfer portal|date=December 30, 2022|author=Hughes, Grant}} He was the team's leading receiver in 2021 with 67 catches for 735 yards and four touchdowns, being named third-team All-Sun Belt Conference.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/oregon/recruiting/former-troy-wide-receiver-tez-johnson-commits-to-oregon-football|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Former Troy Wide Receiver Tez Johnson Commits to Oregon|date=December 29, 2022|author=Torres, Max}} He remained Troy's top receiver in 2022, being named honorable mention all-conference while totaling 56 receptions for 863 yards and four scores.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2023/05/tez-johnson-showcases-speed-ability-to-gain-yards-after-catch-in-oregon-ducks-spring-game.html|website=OregonLive.com|title=Tez Johnson showcases speed, ability to gain yards after catch in Oregon Ducks spring game|date=May 2, 2023|author=Crepea, James}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsfa.com/2022/12/21/troy-footballs-leading-receiver-entering-transfer-portal/|publisher=WSFA|title=Troy football's leading receiver entering transfer portal|date=December 20, 2022}} Johnson entered the NCAA transfer portal following the 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2022/12/troy-wide-receiver-tez-johnson-younger-brother-of-bo-nix-entering-transfer-portal.html|website=AL.com|title=Troy wide receiver Tez Johnson, younger brother of Bo Nix, entering transfer portal|date=December 20, 2022|author=Stephenson, Creg}}
Johnson ultimately transferred to the Oregon Ducks, joining his adoptive brother Bo Nix, the team's starting quarterback.{{Cite news|url=https://duckswire.usatoday.com/lists/ducks-add-transfer-wr-tez-johnson-former-leading-receiver-at-troy/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Ducks add transfer WR Tez Johnson, former leading receiver at Troy|author=Neel, Zachary|date=December 29, 2022}} He became Oregon's second-leading receiver, behind Troy Franklin, and helped them reach the 2023 Pac-12 Conference title game.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/oregon/article/troy-franklin-tez-johnson-oregon-ducks-football--220239898/|website=247Sports|title=Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson forming dynamic pass attack duo|author=Skopil, Erik|date=November 12, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/11/25/oregon-defeats-oregon-state-31-7-for-a-spot-in-the-pac-12-title-game-as-rivalry-ends-for-now/|publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting|title=Oregon defeats Oregon State 31–7 for a spot in the Pac-12 title game|author=Peterson, Anne M.|date=November 25, 2023}} In the 2024 season, Johnson played in 12 games, recording 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns. Johnson also won MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game, recording 11 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown.{{Cite web |title=Oregon Claims Discover Big Ten Football Championship |url=https://bigten.org/fb/article/blt35088e05229dac51/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=Big Ten Conference}} On January 6, 2025, Johnson declared for the 2025 NFL draft.{{Cite web|title=Oregon DT Derrick Harmon, WR Tez Johnson declare for draft|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43312196/oregon-dt-derrick-harmon-wr-tez-johnson-declare-draft|access-date=January 10, 2025|website=espn.com|language=en}}
=College statistics=
{{See also|NCAA Division I FBS receiving leaders}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="4"| Receiving ! colspan="4"| Rushing ! colspan="4"| Punt Return ! colspan="4"| Kick Return | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2020
| rowspan="3" style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Troy Trojans|border=2}}; | {{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Troy Trojans|Troy Trojans football|Troy}} | 11 || 0 || 18 || 211 || 11.7 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 0 || 9 || 42 || 4.7 || 0 || 1 || 12 || 12.0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2021
| 12 || 12 || 67 || 735 || 11.0 || 4 || 2 || 35 || 17.5 || 1 || 8 || 63 || 7.9 || 0 || — || — || — || — | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2022
| 13 || 8 || 56 || 863 || 15.4 || 4 || 5 || 11 || 2.2 || 0 || 6 || 69 || 11.5 || 0 || — || — || — || — | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2023
| rowspan="2" style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Oregon Ducks|border=2}}; | {{CollegeSecondaryColorLink|Oregon Ducks|Oregon Ducks football|Oregon}} | 14 || 13 || 86 || 1,182 || 13.7 || 10 || — || — || — || — || 20 || 190 || 9.5 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2024
| 12 || 12 || 83 || 898 || 10.8 || 10 || 1 || −1 || −1.0 || 0 || 13 || 155 || 11.9 || 1 || — || — || — || — | ||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tez-johnson-1.html Career] | 62 | 45 | 310 | 3,889 | 12.5 | 28 | 9 | 50 | 5.6 | 1 | 56 | 519 | 9.3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 |
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 9 7/8
| weight = 154
| dash = 4.51
| ten split = 1.53
| twenty split = 2.66
| shuttle = 4.15
| cone drill = 6.65
| vertical = 37.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 11
| arm span = 29 3/8
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/tez-johnson/32004a4f-4867-9448-4f25-4821b872e83b |title=Tez Johnson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1040849&DraftYear=2025 |title=Tez Johnson College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}
}}
Johnson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 235th overall pick of the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-26 |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Tez Johnson: 5 Things To Know About Electric Receiver |url=https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/tampa-bay-buccaneers-nfl-draft-tez-johnson-electric-receiver-grade-baker-mayfield-bucky-irving-todd-bowles-oregon-ducks |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Oregon Ducks On SI |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Johnson is a Christian.{{cite web |last1=Mercer |first1=Kevin |title=MVP Tez Johnson leads No. 1 Oregon into CFP, knows God 'orders our steps' |url=https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/football/2024/12/09/oregon-tez-johnson-cfp-god-orders-steps/ |website=Sports Spectrum |access-date=13 December 2024}} Johnson's adoptive brother, Bo Nix is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos.{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Brenna |date=August 10, 2023 |title=Tez Johnson, adoptive brother of Oregon QB Bo Nix, poised for breakout season |url=https://www.koin.com/sports/tez-johnson-adoptive-brother-of-bo-nix-poised-for-breakout-season/ |access-date=August 20, 2023 |website=KOIN.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.buccaneers.com/team/players-roster/tez-johnson/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio]
- [https://troytrojans.com/sports/football/roster/tez-johnson/9753 Troy Trojans bio]
- [https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/tez-johnson/16125 Oregon Ducks bio]
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2025 NFL draft picks}}
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Tez}}
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Players of American football from Alabama
Category:Players of American football from Jefferson County, Alabama
Category:Troy Trojans football players