When so many college football players chose to opt out for the NFL draft in this unprecedented year of Covid-19, Oregon WR Johnny Johnson III was steadfast in his decision to remain in Eugene.
He knew he wanted to stay and play for the Oregon Ducks.
“It was hard seeing some of my brothers leave” explained Johnson on Tuesday from the Hatfield Dowlin Complex. “That was tough. I always wanted to play for four years here. That was something I wanted to do. When I saw that D’mo ( Deommodore Lenoir ) decided to come back I was super excited because that class that came in we’ve experienced a lot together and I’m just trying to finish it together.”
Johnson returns for his senior season as the teams most productive receiver from the 2019 season grabbing 57 receptions for 836 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Having been the primary target of the NFL’s sixth overall draft pick in Justin Herbert, Johnson now finds himself catching balls from junior signal caller Tyler Shough, who by all accounts, is expected to start when the season begins November 7th against Stanford.
“He’s resilient” explained Johnson when asked about Shough as a quarterback and leader. “He has a heart for the game. He gets guys together and juiced and ready to play. I’m excited to see what he can do this year. He’s doing a great job right now.”
In the mix is also Boston College transfer Anthony Brown who comes to Eugene with a significant amount of experience and should push Shough for the starting job.
“Anthony Brown is a great person” said Johnson. “For me when he first stepped on campus and was watching practice as he was getting recruited to come here as a grad transfer, I already linked up with him and talked to him since day one. We’ve been talking and we’ve been throwing over this past off time. I’m excited to see what he can do. He’s a great player. He’s done great things in the past, played in big games. He plays a role too.”
In regards to his former quarterback who’s certainly taking the NFL by storm, and setting numerous records as a rookie with the Los Angeles Chargers, Johnson says he couldn’t be prouder of Herbert’s early success.
“I’m excited for him. I’ve watched every game” said Johnson.
“He’s had a lot of close ones. He’s almost won a lot of them. I’m excited for the way he’s playing. He’s going to be a ten plus year guy in the league. I’m excited to see what he can do in the future.”