Oregon: Kenyon Sadiq's Replacement Ranked Top Skill Player in College Football

The Oregon Ducks lost one of their top skilled players from last season when the New York Jets selected Kenyon Sadiq in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Sadiq was the second leading receiver on the Ducks in 2025, recording 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. His stats were impressive, but he turned heads of NFL scouts during his performance at the combine in Indianapolis in February.

The Ducks should be in good hands with tight end Jamari Johnson. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore went to Johnson quite a bit last season. Johnson finished with 32 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns.

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports ranked Johnson as the No. 16 skilled player in college football for the upcoming season. He thinks Oregon will have a mismatch with a star tight end.

"For Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson, the physical tools have always been obvious, but opportunity is finally catching up," Crawford wrote. "At 6-foot-6 with soft hands and natural body control, he gives the Ducks a mismatch option who can stress linebackers and safeties alike.

"Johnson's expanded role in the passing game following Kenyon Sadiq's NFL entry could turn him into a reliable red-zone and seam threat."

Tight ends do more than catch passes, and that will be something to monitor this fall.

Johnson wanted to return to Oregon to work on his footwork and becoming a lethal blocker in the run game.

“Like I said earlier, to me, I felt like I haven't really done anything in college football," Johnson said of why he came back to Oregon, via Sports Illustrated. "That was one of the reasons, and another is I wouldn’t say I'm not ready for the NFL, but like that’s pretty much what I’m getting at, is just like I have a lot of stuff to work on that’s within footwork and hand placement, block in the run game, and route details.

"Getting to the right depth and just touching up everything I can so when I get to the NFL, there’s none of those problems, it’s just the big problems I have to fix.” 

Sadiq was able to improve as a blocker before becoming a first-round pick. Johnson knows he needs to get better in those areas, and if he does, he could become a high draft pick in 2027.