WR Iverson Hooks brings Tez Johnson-like abilities to Oregon's offense
Oregon Ducks transfer wide receiver Iverson Hooks has impressed the coaching staff in spring practices, with similarities to a former standout Duck.
When UAB Blazers wide receiver Iverson Hooks transferred to the Oregon Ducks earlier this offseason, comparisons to former Duck Tez Johnson were almost immediate. They have a similar, slight frame, with both standing 5-foot-10 and Hooks weighing just 10 pounds heavier (175 pounds). Both arrived at Oregon after multiple seasons at small Division-I schools in Alabama, with Johnson coming from Troy.
And then there's the play-style. On his way to becoming a fan-favorite in Eugene, Johnson did a majority of his damage from the slot, using his quick-twitch, jittery movement style to find open crevices in the middle of defenses. What he was missing in height and mass, Johnson made up for with an innate ability to get open and act as a security blanket for Oregon quarterbacks Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024).
In two seasons with the Ducks, the future Tampa Bay Buccaneer racked up over 2,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. As a Blazer, Hooks filled a similar role. He operated mostly out of the slot and was the top option for a subpar group of quarterbacks, blossoming in 2025 in catching 72 passes for 927 yards and seven touchdowns.
He caught a number of those scores on slot fades, a route that Johnson didn't run much during his time as a Duck. That likely was a result of the lacking receivers beside Hooks and his straight-line speed, which can be utilized in a number of different ways. With Hooks now in a Ducks uniform and manning a similar position on the field, the similarities between Hooks and Johnson certainly extend past their previous college stops.