Jamari Johnson entering 2026 with ‘something to prove’ as Oregon’s TE1
Without Kenyon Sadiq, the Ducks are hoping for a seamless transition to Jamari Johnson, who has a chip on his shoulder entering the 2026 season.
The Oregon Ducks continue to have an embarrassment of riches at tight end. From Terrance Ferguson to Kenyon Sadiq, and now to Jamari Johnson , the Ducks once again think they have the best hybrid receiver along the line of scrimmage in college football. Although his confidence and energy are tremendous, Johnson might not agree with that title yet.
The redshirt junior tight end had a minimal impact at Louisville before popping in the second half of the season for the Ducks. He finished with 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns for the Ducks, nearly matching Sadiq in yardage (560) with nearly 20 fewer receptions (51). Now, as the starter and the leader of a young position room , Johnson wants to make his mark in his second season at Oregon.
“I feel like I got something to prove," Johnson said in his first media availability after Oregon's second scrimmage of the spring. "You know, for me personally, I feel like I haven't really done anything in college football. So I feel like this year is that year for me to show everybody what I'm about.
” Johnson might be underselling himself a bit. In the College Football Playoff, he turned into a security blanket for Dante Moore , making nine catches and scoring two touchdowns in the Ducks' three games against James Madison, Texas Tech and Indiana. The Ducks welcomed Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh and true freshman Kendre Harrison to the tight end room this spring, as well as Markus Dixon, who transferred to Eugene in the offseason and is making the full-time switch back to tight end after playing defensive end at Clemson.