The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found a potential gem ͏late ͏in the͏ 2025 NFL ͏Draft when they selected Oregon wide receiver T͏ez ͏Johnson with the No͏. 235 overall pick.
Despite waiting until the seventh round to hear͏ his name called, Joh͏n͏son is arriving in Tampa with a chip on his ͏shoulder and a bold message for the rest of ͏the league.
Tez Johnson Ready to Prove Himself in the NFL
Tez Johnson’s draft-day phone call with Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles made headlines when Bowles told Johnson, “You’re going to get a dog. You’re going to be every 31 teams’ Kryptonite now.” Johnson, known for his explosive play at Oregon, is determined to make good on that promise.
Joh͏nson͏, the 5-foot-9, 154-pound receiver,͏ dominated college football ͏despite concerns about ͏his size. He broke Oregon’s single-season receptions record͏ with͏ 86͏ catches ͏in 2023͏ and finished the͏ 2024 season with 83͏ ͏receptions, 898 yards͏, and 10 touchdowns, despite missing͏ nearly three full games due͏ to͏ injury.
His ͏electric play earned him All-Big Ten Second Team honors and MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game, where he posted 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown in a win over Penn State.
“You’re going to be 31 teams’ kryptonite now.” 😤
Our call to @tezMania15 is worth the watch 📞 pic.twitter.com/RFnTVy7dVh
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 28, 2025
Draft analysts compared Johnson to Houston Texans receiver Tank Dell, another undersized but dynamic playmaker. Johnson himself said he models his game after Dell, Cooper Kupp, Tyler Lockett, and Ladd McConkey. Ahead of the draft, Johnson declared, “the team that drafts me is getting the best slot receiver in the NFL.”
Although Johnson silenced many doubters during Oregon’s Senior Day, his stock slipped after the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and weighed in as the lightest receiver. Johnson addressed that setback confidently, saying, “That’s my time, I’m going to own up to it. You can watch my tape and see no one can catch me. The 40 don’t define you as a football player.”
Now with the Buccaneers, Johnson will reunite with former Oregon teammate Bucky Irving and compete for snaps catching passes from Baker Mayfield. Johnson’s shiftiness was further proven by his impressive 6.65-second 3-cone drill, and in 2024, he ranked third among qualifying receivers with 604 yards after the catch.
Off the field, Johnson earned a reputation as a team-first player and fan favorite, exemplified by his gestures following the Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State. His leadership and humility made him beloved in Eugene, and now, he brings that same mindset to Tampa Bay.
After waiting longer than expected to hear his name called, Tez Johnson is ready to make the 31 teams that passed on him regret it — and he’s not shy about it. As Bowles put it, Johnson is set to become their “Kryptonite.”