Tez Johnson announces decision to return to Oregon for 2024 season

The Oregon Ducks are keeping one of their top playmakers from the 2023 season. On Thursday, wide receiver Tez Johnson announced that he would remain in the program for next season instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Ahead of Oregon’s New Year Six bowl matchup against the Liberty Flame, when asked about his future, Johnson stated that he was still undecided and would wait until after the start of the new year. Three days after the beginning of 2024, the Ducks’ wide receiver stayed true to his word.

Some college football experts believed Johnson would follow his older brother and Oregon star quarterback Bo Nix to the NFL. However, the two players’ situations are different. Nix does not have any years of eligibility remaining, whereas Johnson still has one left. And he plans on using his final year to help head coach Dan Lanning in his quest to bring a college football national championship back to Eugene, Oregon.

After spending the first three years of his collegiate career in the Sun Belt Conference with the Troy Trojans, Johnson transferred to Oregon ahead of the 2023 season, reuniting with Nix. And together, the duo carved up opposing defenses. Last season, through 14 games, Johnson had a total of 86 catches for 1182 yards with ten receiving touchdowns and an average of 13.7 yards per reception.

More on the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.

Players will have the opportunity to solidify their draft stock at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 26 through March 4.

The three-day event will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility.

Last season, 69 players were granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL Draft. 13 underclassmen who had completed their college degrees were also deemed eligible to be selected.

The deadline to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft is on January 15. NFL teams will receive a full list of eligible players in the class on January 19.