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Pair of Oregon Ducks listed among PFF's top returning wide receivers for 2024 season

Jarrid Denneyby: Jarrid Denney02/27/24jarrid_denney
oregon-receiver-tez-johnson-announces-plans-for-2024-season
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason, Oregon is going to have to find a way to replace the most productive receiver in program history — junior standout Troy Franklin.

In his final season with the Ducks, Franklin earned second-team All-American honors after setting UO single-season records for receptions (81), receiving yards (1,383) and receiving touchdowns (14).

With Franklin headed to the NFL, the Ducks have plenty of intriguing talent in their receiver room.

Earlier this month, Pro Football Focus released a list of its top-10 wide receivers returning for the 2024 season.

Oregon is the only team that landed multiple players on the list.

Rising senior Tez Johnson landed at No. 4. In his first season with the Ducks, he emerged as one of the top slot returners in the nation. Johnson caught 86 passes for 1,182 yards and 10 touchdowns. He surpassed Franklin’s school record for receptions during Oregon’s Fiesta Bowl win over Liberty and became the school’s second 1,000-yard receiver since 2019.

Here’s the rundown from PFF on Johnson.

“Formerly at Troy, Johnson made the transition from the Sun Belt conference to the Pac-12 look seamless this past season. Despite only weighing 160 pounds, Johnson was one of the most dangerous receivers in America with the ball in his hands. He paced all Power Five receivers this past season with 727 yards after the catch while his 278 receiving yards after contact were fifth. The junior averaged 3.45 yards per route run, which placed him behind only Malik Nabers among Power Five pass-catchers. His 93.4% open-target rate also placed him in the 99th percentile of FBS receivers.

“Johnson should be one of new quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s best friends next season out of the slot.”

Further down the list, incoming Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart landed at No. 9. A former five-star recruit who was the No. 2 wideout in the 2022 signing class, he caught 38 passes for 514 yards and four touchdowns with the Aggies.

Stewart is the most likely candidate to replace Franklin as Oregon’s starting “X” receiver. Here’s what PFF had to say about the Ducks’ star transfer addition.

“Stewart is the lone receiver on this list who’ll be playing for a new team in 2024, transferring to Oregon from Texas A&M in January. He and Tez Johnson also make up the only duo in this top-10 as well. The former top-10 recruit showed immense potential immediately for the Aggies. His 643 receiving yards in 2022 trailed only Tetairoa McMillan, the No. 2 receiver on this list, among FBS true freshmen. 

Stewart caught the injury bug as a sophomore, missing five games with a leg injury. While this ranking is based mostly on projection, there’s no denying that the soon-to-be junior has the potential to move up much higher on this list.“

Oregon is also set to return veteran starters Gary Bryant Jr. and Traeshon Holden next season. Additionally, former five-star signee Jurrion Dickey is expected to take on a greater role after redshirting last season.

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