Oregon Ducks star tight end Jamari Johnson has landed a perfect prediction about his NFL future.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are going to have a lot of talent leaving Eugene for the 2027 NFL Draft following the upcoming season. There are multiple players who are expected to be first-round picks.
Obviously, the headline name will be quarterback Dante Moore. Most projections have Moore ending up being a top-five pick, with most expecting him to be a top-two selection. Outside of Moore, there are a couple of other key players to watch.
A'Mauri Washington is expected to be a first-round pick, but another name to watch closely will be tight end Jamari Johnson.
Johnson has played well in a backup role. This season, he will have a chance to be the featured tight end with Kenyon Sadiq now in the NFL. He will have a chance to prove that he's worthy of being a first-round pick.
With that being said, a new prediction has been made for Johnson's NFL future.
Sports Illustrated's Gilbert Manzano has released a new 2027 mock draft. He has Johnson ending up with the New England Patriots at No. 18 overall.
"Here’s another enticing player who fell a bit due to five quarterbacks going in the top 16," Manzano wrote.
"Johnson is a terrific pass catcher and has the size to be a three-down playmaker, but he’ll need to improve as a blocker. Last season, the 6'5", 257-pound Johnson recorded 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns."
A tight end landing with the Patriots is a dream come true. Josh McDaniels and star quarterback Drake Maye love utilizing the tight end position. Being a long-term replacement for Hunter Henry would be a perfect situation for Johnson.
Last season with the Ducks, the 6-foot-5 tight end played well in a backup role. He caught 32 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns in his first year at Oregon.
During his freshman season with the Louisville Cardinals, Johnson caught 13 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown.
Needless to say, Johnson still has some work to do in order to lock in being a first-round draft pick. But, he has the raw potential and talent to be a top-20 pick.
It's still way too early to know which NFL teams will have which picks, but it's intriguing to think about Johnson teaming up with Maye. New England is one of the top contenders in the NFL, which could offer Johnson a great opportunity to carve out an early role with a top-tier professional team.
