Tez Johnson gives Xavier Worthy reference to explain 40-yard dash time

Tez Johnson put together a solid two-year stay at Oregon, climbing up the Ducks' receiving leaderboards and posting impressive numbers. As the 2025 NFL draft approaches, his stock has seemingly taken somewhat of a hit after he didn't test well at last month's scouting combine.

Johnson ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the event, raising concerns about his speed at a position in which it's almost always a prerequisite. He didn't try to improve his time at Oregon's Pro Day and had an answer for detractors on Tuesday.

"You can watch my tape and see that can't nobody catch me," Johnson said. "I don't think the 40 really defines you as a football player. It just shows that you can run a fast time. ... That was my time. It says, 'Tez Johnson, 4.51.' That's what I ran."

Johnson's time ranked 29th out of 39 receivers who ran at the event in Indianapolis. It was the slowest effort for any wideout weighing under 170 pounds at the combine since 2003. Nonetheless, Johnson insists it doesn't matter.

"For years, all I've known is if you can run as the fastest man in the 40, you're not going to last in the league," Johnson said. "You don't see those guys, except for Xavier Worthy. He's the only guy that can really blaze and run. I don't think the 40 defines you as a football player."

Tez Johnson earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 after pulling in 83 receptions, the second-most in a single season in Oregon lore. He set the Ducks' record the year before with 86. His 74.8 receiving yards per game were the fifth-most in his conference last season.

Johnson transferred to Eugene from Troy, where he was an All-Sun Belt honorable mention.

What do scouts think of Tez Johnson?

247Sports analyst Brad Crawford put together a report on Tez Johnson after his showing at the combine. His speed isn't Crawford's only concern.

"Despite 20 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Oregon, former Ducks wideout Tez Johnson needed to show more to warrant billing among this cycle's top-tier options at wide receiver," Crawford wrote. "His 40 time of 4.51 was considerably slower than expected given his size. Johnson's impressive showing at the Senior Bowl earlier this spring virtually guaranteed him a draft selection, but weighing in 11 pounds less than previously is a bit worrisome."

Johnson will have to wait to see where he ends up in the NFL draft. Worth noting, he's the adopted brother of former Ducks and current Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, who had a great rapport with him before being taken in the first round of last year's draft.