The 2026 college football season is underway, and analysts are either reinforcing or rethinking their projections of the 2027 NFL draft. But for one Big Ten athlete, his stock just got higher even without making an appearance yet. Ahead of the 2026 season, where he has been named the team’s starting tight end, NFL scouts have now placed him side by side with some active NFL legends.

Oregon Ducks tight end Jamari Johnson has earned comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller by NFL scouts, per Rookie Watch. Johnson was also said to be a better prospect than former Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who was picked with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.

While he already showed his quality in the 2025 season, more is being demanded from Johnson this time around. And for him to command such comparisons, his displays during the Ducks’ team practices must have reinforced these claims. The Oregon Ducks’ annual spring game was one such instance, where he had three receptions for 14 yards and an early touchdown.

However, comparing a college football player, bouncing off the highs of a breakthrough season, to legends who have gone so far as to hit consecutive 1,000+ receiving-yard seasons in the NFL is unbelievable. Travis Kelce’s record in his final collegiate season is a huge expectation for any college tight end, even without considering his NFL numbers. In his final season with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Kelce recorded 43 receptions for 722 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

But beyond the numbers, what makes the comparison valid is the similarity in their play styles. Just like Kelce, Johnson also has the experience of playing QB in high school. Dan Lanning may not deploy him to throw the ball, given his solid QB depth.

However, that knowledge of the position gives Johnson an understanding of zone coverages and sight adjustments. Throughout his career with the Chiefs, Travis Kelce has been lauded for his unique ability to find soft spots in zone coverage. That forms the main ingredient of his equations with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

Moreover, both Johnson and Kelce are also similar in height and weight. They also have the fluidity to line up wide, in the slot, or off the line of scrimmage as move tight ends, which makes them quite different from your traditional tight ends. When it comes to maximizing the position in the passing game, no one comes closer to Travis Kelce.

Even from his displays with the Ducks, there is no doubt that Johnson possesses the basic tools that set tight ends apart in football: elite pass-catching versatility and a large catch radius.

Above all the projections and ratings, Johnson has just this season to prove he is a better prospect than his predecessor, Sadiq. Before Sadiq was picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, he had recorded over 300 receiving yards in two consecutive seasons. Johnson’s 2026 season can make all the difference and see him get drafted in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Jamari Johnson’s college career

Before his move to the Ducks, Johnson spent his freshman year at Louisville in 2023, where he redshirted. His redshirt freshman season saw him play seven games and record 13 receptions for 158 yards. Then, his breakout season came while he was a backup for Kenyon Sadiq.

After a relatively silent first half of the season, he grew to become one of quarterback Dante Moore’s main targets. He ended the season with 32 receptions for 510 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

The performance saw him earn All-Big Ten honorable mention and become the sixth-highest-rated tight end in the nation. For the 2026 campaign, Johnson has been named a Walter Camp Preseason Second-Team All-American.