Oregon football: Ducks WR Tez Johnson earns spot on 2024 Maxwell Award watch list

Oregon football fans are going to be thrilled to see that yet another one of their offensive stars is heading into the 2024 Oregon football season with some serious recognition. Oregon Ducks star wide receiver Tez Johnson has been named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award (a rather prestigious recognition in the college football world).

While the Maxwell Award doesn’t receive the same sort of hype that the Heisman Trophy does, it’s still among the top awards in college athletics and it acknowledges the best college football player in any given season.

And while this is still a preseason watch list that plenty of other players will find their names on, it’s a big deal that Tez Johnson is included ahead of what could be a spectacular senior season in Eugene for the star wide receiver. 

Tez Johnson lands on 2024 Maxwell Award watch list

After the sort of season that Johnson had in 2023, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Oregon Ducks wide receiver would be included on the Maxwell Award list heading into 2024. Johnson was dynamic and quickly established himself as one of the best athletes and playmakers in the Pac-12 last season.

In 2023, the star wide receiver from Pinson, Alabama managed to snag 86 passes for 1,182 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches. Johnson was just about unstoppable last season and it stands to reason that he will once again be great for the Ducks this year. Especially with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback and the various other dynamic athletics Oregon has lined up heading into this season.

After all, just take a look at how he dominated in the Fiesta Bowl last season as he caught 11 passes for 172 yards against Liberty. 

If he can routinely have those sorts of showings for the Ducks in 2024, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Johnson included on this list as the season gets close to a close.