Insiders claim Oregon football has NFL Draft TE1 again after Kenyon Sadiq departure

Oregon football had the top tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft in Kenyon Sadiq. For months, Sadiq was seen as the clear-cut top player at his position in this class, and the only question was when he would hear his name called.

He didn’t have to wait very long before the New York Jets selected him with the No. 16 overall pick in the first round. Now, all eyes have turned to his successor, Jamari Johnson.

Johnson played alongside Sadiq at times in 2025 and is very talented in his own right. Heading into his first season as the starter in Eugene, he is already getting a lot of attention as a potential first-round pick.

ESPN NFL Draft experts Jordan Reid and Matt Miller have both tabbed Johnson as the top tight end on the board heading into the 2026 season.

Johnson isn’t quite as dynamic of an athlete as Sadiq was, but the latter was a true anomaly for his position from ana athletic standpoint. However, he is a more well-rounded tight end prospect. The Louisville transfer is a much more polished blocker than Sadiq was, and he is a very fluid route-runner at 6-foot-5.

As a result, NFL teams will be salivating over the chance to add him into their tight end room. He can be a true matchup nightmare for defenses, and that should be on display even more this season with him as a focal point of the offense.

Johnson will have to hold off a number of other talented tight ends for the top spot on the board this season. Behind him, Reid and Miller have the likes of Trey’Dez Green from LSU and Terrance Carter Jr. from Texas Tech.

Quarterback Dante Moore will be back in Eugene next season, and Johnson is leading a talented group of weapons that includes Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart. The Ducks should have one of the most explosive passing games in the nation this fall, and Johnson’s draft stock should continue to soar as a result.

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