Finding Broncos: Scouting Oregon WR Tez Johnson

The Denver Broncos spent some serious time meeting with Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson on the pre-draft trail. Johnson met with the Broncos at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine, so we know the interest is there.

What would Johnson bring to the table? Let's dive into his scouting report.

Biography

Johnson is the adopted brother of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and played high school football with him. Johnson initially played at Troy, but transferred to Oregon after the 2022 season and had a big year catching passes from Nix in 2023. Johnson will turn 23 in May. 

Size & Athleticism

At 5-foot-10 and 154 pounds, Johnson has solid athleticism, but he is historically small. Tutu Atwell is one of the only receivers with a similar buildup. Johnson's size raises serious questions about his NFL viability. 

Key Statistic

Johnson ranked second in the NCAA for catches behind the line of scrimmage with 35 of his 82 receptions. In 2024, he gained 604 yards after the catch, or 7.4 yards per reception, which ranked third most and seventh-most among qualifying receivers. 

Pros

Johnson's best trait is his burst, both in and out of breaks, which creates instant separation. He has smooth movement skills and a keen sense of finding the soft spot in zone coverages. While he doesn’t have all the nuances of route-running down, he does know how to sell fakes and vary his speed to catch defenders sleeping. 

Johnson's size is a concern, but he can make himself small and is slippery with the ball in his hands. This can make it difficult for defenders to bring him down. He has the ability to be used in various ways, which can make him a gadget receiver, but he also has the traits to survive as a slot receiver. 

Johnson has good vision as a ball carrier, which can make him a threat as a returner or whenever he has the ball in his hands. Johnson is also a threat as a screen receiver, and despite his size, he plays tough and bigger than he is. 

Johnson has improved his hands over the years and had the lowest drop rate of his career in 2024. While his hands aren’t great, he does have sound timing and technique when attacking the ball in the air. Overall, if teams are comfortable with the size, Johnson can be an explosive playmaker threat. 

Cons

It all starts with the size concerns, as Johnson is unique. Few receivers of his size or smaller have gone on to play in the NFL, and even fewer have done so with success.

If Johnson were two inches taller and 30 pounds heavier, he would be a second-round pick at the latest. The skills are there, but his size is such a detriment, and he has dealt with some serious injuries, including a shoulder in 2024. 

Johnson's special-teams ability is questionable, and there is a high rate of muffed punts, which is unacceptable in the modern NFL. Also, despite the improved drop rate in 2024, there is concern about the size of his hands for the NFL and his ability to maintain a low drop rate. His 2024 tape is also littered with double catches, which is risky when jumping to the NFL. 

Johnson's usage at Oregon isn’t the easiest to translate to the NFL, though he did show some promise at the Senior Bowl. If he can't get separation, he's done, as he will lose contested catches almost every single time. There is also a lack of strength that shows as a blocker or when breaking through tackles, so he has to make defenders miss or gets brought down easily. 

Fit with Broncos

Johnson is a weird fit for the Broncos, but that doesn’t mean it isn't doable. He's a quick and agile receiver who can make defenders miss, understands zone coverages well, and can quickly make himself a target for his quarterback.

With the other Broncos receivers, namely Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin, Johnson would be a bit redundant, but not to the point where someone like Sean Payton couldn't make it work, if the head coach is comfortable with the size constraints.

Draft Grade: Round 4