Should the Broncos draft Oregon WR Tez Johnson and reunite him with his brother Bo Nix?

Will the Broncos draft Bo Nix’s brother, wide receiver Tez Johnson, in the 2025 NFL Draft?

One prospect the Denver Broncos are showing some interest in is Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson. He is a 5’10’, 154-pound wide receiver who is viewed as one of the more elusive slot receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft and is Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s adopted brother.

He played three seasons at Troy before transferring to Oregon, where he played with Nix in 2023 and had a career year. During his two seasons at Oregon, he played a total of 26 games and totaled 169 receptions for 2,080 yards and 20 touchdown receptions. This past year, he totaled 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdown receptions.

Player Profile

Tez Johnson | Wide Receiver | Oregon

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 154 pounds
• Hands: 9 inches
• Arm Length: 29 3/8 inches
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.51 seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.53 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 37 inches
• Broad Jump: 10’11”
• 3-Cone Drill: 6.65 seconds
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.15 seconds

Film Room

Scouting Report

Strengths

• Elusive player who can separate and knows how to get open
• Despite a slower 40-time than expected, his play speed on tape is impressive
• Twitchy athlete with quick feet
• Slippery after the catch and has some YAC potential
• Crafty route runner
• Low drop rate this past season
• At his best in space and in motion, where he can get a free release
• Was a high-volume pass-catcher throughout his college career
• Profiles as an elusive slot receiver
• Can contribute as a returner

Weaknesses

• Obvious size/strength limitations
• Slower than anticipated 40-time at the Combine
• Small catch radius
• Offers very little as a run blocker
• Struggles against press coverage
• Struggles with contested catches

Tez Johnson RAS

What other analysts are saying about Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson

The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, Dane Brugler, on WR Tez Johnson

With his explosive speed, Johnson is electric before and after the catch with no gear-down required at the catch point, which makes him a nightmare for open-field pursuit — he can stick his foot in the ground and fly. He tends to drift as a route runner and needs to expand his route tree, especially at the intermediate level (75.2 percent of his 2024 targets came on throws under 10 yards). Overall, Johnson needs to improve on the technical side, and his lack of size and strength are limiting factors, but he is a blur when he runs and catches the ball with confident hands. Though he has NFL starting upside, he is more likely to be a role player who can produce on screens, shallows, deep verticals, and as a punt returner

NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein on WR Tez Johnson

Productive, high-volume slot receiver whose evaluation will include balancing the playmaking against his lack of traits. Johnson is thin-limbed with average suddenness and benefited from a scheme allowing him to run free in space. He’s clever and instinctive with his routes, finding ways to uncover over the first two levels. His hands are below average and he struggles when contested, but he’s tough to find and tackle quickly after the catch. Johnson’s lack of size, strength and NFL ball skills mean he’s likely to profile as a good community target rather than succeeding independent of the talent around him.

Final Thoughts

I don’t really see the fit with the Broncos.

Johnson is undersized, has 4.5 speed, a small catch radius, and the only reason he is being connected to the Broncos is because he is Bo Nix’s adopted brother. Sure, it would be a great story, but Johnson doesn’t really fit the type of receiver Sean Payton typically looks for. He prefers bigger and stronger wide receivers who can work the middle of the field and block in the run game. Tez Johnson simply is not that.

With all that said, I think Johnson can carve out a role for an NFL team. Despite his size and slower-than-expected 40-time, he gets open and plays fast on tape. Now, he will need to be put in motion, given a free release, and given the ball in space, but a creative offensive coach could make that work. Payton is that type of coach, but I just don’t think he’s a fit.

If the Broncos were to draft a receiver, I would anticipate it being a bigger receiver who can block. Not an undersized slot receiver.

Johnson was productive at Oregon and I think that alone will get him drafted on late day 3. I wouldn’t hate it if he were one of the Broncos’ final draft picks or signed as an undrafted free agent, but I would not draft him earlier than that.