There might not be a better wide receiver room in the NFL than Tampa Bay’s. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are one of the NFL’s top duos, and they’ve been in the conversation for several years. But the recent additions of Emeka Egbuka (2025) and Jalen McMillan (2024) have rounded out this room. They have four starting-caliber receivers and a few high-end backups, including Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard.
Depth like that is unheard of in the NFL, and it’s going to be really hard for anyone else to make the roster with those six receivers. But don’t count out Tez Johnson, the seventh-round pick from Oregon. He was the second receiver the Buccaneers selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but it’s going to be a challenge for him to make the roster.
But challenges are nothing new for Johnson. He’s always been the smallest player on the field (weighed in at 154 pounds at the NFL Combine), and yet, he’s always managed to produce. Johnson has led his team in receptions and yards in four consecutive seasons, twice with Troy and twice with Oregon. He set an Oregon record for receptions in 2023 with 86 and then caught 83 passes the following season despite missing a couple of games.
Johnson fell in the NFL Draft because of his weight and only running a 4.51 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. According to Mockdraftable, he was the lightest player at the NFL Combine since 1999. And his outlier height and arm length certainly don’t help. But that didn’t stop him from cooking defensive backs at the highest level and doing it again at the Senior Bowl.
It’s going to be tough for Johnson to make the 53-man roster for the Buccaneers, but he is much better than your average seventh-round pick. In fact, many draft analysts believed he could be a top-100 selection despite his small frame. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared him to Tank Dell and thinks he could make an impact in the league right away:
"Productive, high-volume slot receiver whose evaluation will include balancing the playmaking against his lack of traits. Johnson is thin-limbed with average suddenness and benefited from a scheme allowing him to run free in space. He’s clever and instinctive with his routes, finding ways to uncover over the first two levels. His hands are below average and he struggles when contested, but he’s tough to find and tackle quickly after the catch. "Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Johnson will need to beat out Palmer and/or Shepard for a spot on the 53-man roster, which will be tough given that both players are more experienced and are significantly bigger. However, Johnson’s ability to produce and create separation make him a worthwhile sleeper to watch during training camp.
If nothing else, Johnson should be a joy to watch during the preseason. But don’t discount him as a potential roster sleeper and someone the Buccaneers try to stash on their 53-man roster. He might just be too talented to keep off the roster and could end up beating out someone like Kam Johnson for the final receiver spot.
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