Oregon Ducks Transfer Portal: Tight End Jamari Johnson Commits From Louisville

Transfer portal redshirt freshmen tight end Jamari Johnson along with Purdue's Dillon Thieneman, Northwestern's Theran Johnson, Texas State's Alex Harkey, and Nevada's Isaiah World join the Oregon Ducks transfer portal class for the 2025 season.

Louisville Cardinals tight end Jamari Johnson (11) celebrates his play during their game against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

This is the fifth commit for the Oregon Ducks out of the transfer portal since it opened up on Dec. 9. The 6’6, 250 pound tight end Jamari Johnson from the Louisville Cardinals will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Coach Dan Lanning has a need at the tight end position with Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert to depart at the end of their senior campaigns. The impact that those two specifically leave from this program will be hard to fill.

Johnson redshirted his first season with Louisville in 2023. He then played just seven games during his freshmen campaign with the Cardinals before suffering a season-ending leg injury on Oct. 19 against the Miami Hurricanes. Johnson finished his season with 13 receptions for 158 receiving yards and one touchdown catch.

Louisville Cardinals tight end Jamari Johnson (11) runs the ball down the field during their game against the Austin Peay Governors on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The athletic, long wingspan threat could be a wide receiver if he wanted to. Johnson has the combination of being born with a high-catch radius plus the ability to come down with the tough, contested catches.

Johnson's speed and toughness to bounce off tackles in the open field could make for a lot of yards after catches with the help of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore putting him in those positions. What Lanning would want to see as an improvement from Johnson is his blocking ability. That will come with more reps during practice as the young talent adjusts to living in Eugene.

Oregon's tight end Kenyon Sadiq had a few shining moments throughout his sophomore season thus far, no more than during the Big Ten Conference Championship victory. Against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Sadiq finished with two touchdowns on two receptions which included an all-time hurdle that will live on forever. A tight end tandem between him and Johnson is something to be excited about for the future.

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Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) hurdles over Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Jalen Kimber (3) on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game between the Oregon Ducks and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is just the start of the portal haul coming towards Lanning's way for multiple positions. Here are the other four transfers to already committed to the Ducks:

Dillon Thieneman - sophomore/Purdue, safety

Theran Johnson - redshirt junior/Northwestern, cornerback

Alex Harkey - senior/Texas State, offensive tackle

Isaiah World - redshirt junior/Nevada, offensive tackle

In the 2025 high school recruiting class, Oregon has only signed one tight end in four-star Vander Plogg out of Fullerton, California to help develop the position down the road.

The Ducks await the winner of the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers vs. the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes in a quarterfinal matchup which will take place in Columbus on Dec. 21 at 5. p.m. PT. The winner will play Oregon in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, set for Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. PT.

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