Not in a very long time have the Oregon Ducks enjoyed such a talented haul of freshman wide receivers.
When Troy Franklin, Dont’e Thornton and Isaiah Brevard decided to play their college football at Oregon, it brought incredibly high expectations considering they were all highly recruited and ranked in the Top 60 across the country at that position.
What it also brought was an increased level of competition in the wide receiver room with veterans Johnnie Johnson III and Jaylon Redd.
Both Johnson III and Redd will most certainly be the incumbent starters in two weeks when the season begins against Fresno State, but they’re being pushed hard for game reps by the trio of fabulous freshmen who are all tall and fast pass catchers with deep threat capability.
“That just comes with the game” said Johnson III last week.
“Obviously being on a great team, every great team, if you look at the past national championship teams, they’ve all had great receivers and a great receiver corps. So, us competing and us fighting for jobs is going to make us better. And that’s going to continue in the game of football at the next level,…whether it’s here, high school, the NFL so that’s part of the game.”
When the Ducks open against the Bulldogs they’ll possess a blend of shifty slot-type receivers, as well as tall athletic pass-catchers who can leap over smaller corners. It’s that blend of receiving talent that makes this offensive squad so exciting and dangerous.
“When you look at how the receivers at Oregon have been for the past few years we haven’t had a lot of big receivers,” said Thornton.
“Starting with Devon (Williams) and Juwan Johnson, that’s when they started having big receivers. With me and Troy, us being bigger and faster receivers, I feel like that puts us at an advantage of having a deep threat.”
Asked about the Ducks young freshman, Johnson III provided some high praise for what’s to come.
“They’re hard workers” said Johnson III.
“They’re technicians. They really want to take the coaching points and put it on the field. I love the way those dudes work. They’re going to continue to be great. I think we have some future Biletnikoff winners over here.”
OREGON RECEIVER JOHNNY JOHNSON III DISCUSSES DUCK RECEIVING CORPS