How Kenyon Sadiq changed Jamari Johnson's daily routine at Oregon

For the third season in a row, the Oregon Ducks are rolling into the new season with a new leader in the tight end room. First Terrance Ferguson, then Kenyon Sadiq, and now Jamari Johnson will take the helm.

Last season, after transferring to Eugene from Louisville, Johnson saw his role slowly grow into a consistent pass-catcher for the Oregon offense. When Sadiq went down with an injury, Johnson was the one who stepped up and didn’t allow the Ducks to skip a beat.

Johnson finished the season with 32 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-5 target has more size than his predecessor, but leading the room is another challenge he will have to take on this season. With the additions of Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh, Clemson transfer Marcus Dixon and freshman Kendre Harrison, there are plenty of talented contributors who still need to learn the playbook in fall camp.

Beyond leading the room, the best ability is availability. After watching Sadiq prepare last season, Johnson may have picked up a thing or two from the first-round pick.

“Film and treatment,” Johnson told reporters on Monday. “Those are two things off the field. He’s a dog all around. Off the field, (Sadiq) is as good as on the field.”

OREGON COMES OUT THE GATE PUNCHING 😱

Jamari Johnson with the reception and TD as @oregonfootball scores first on TNT, truTV, TBS & HBO Max 👀 pic.twitter.com/rwmEKDdnOq

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) December 21, 2025

Johnson’s daily habits have changed to mimic some aspects of Sadiq’s success at Oregon. The changes have not gone unnoticed, even if Johnson is the first one to the facility every morning. The efforts Johnson has gone to not only improve his game but to stay healthy are greatly appreciated by his Heisman-contending quarterback.

“It’s his preparation. This year, he’s taken prehab, rehab, everything, even the game of football more serious,” quarterback Dante Moore said. “He learned a lot from Kenyon. Kenyon used to get to the facility at 4:45 in the morning. You know, hot tub, stretching, and he’s done the same thing with just learning his routine. Not saying he has to play like Kenyon, because at the end of the day, you’re yourself. But just picking up those habits, just learning from the players that have done something in our lives that we want to do. Go first round, get drafted. So he’s done a great job.”

Johnson was eligible to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, but he was one of many who opted to return to Eugene for another season, this time as the starter. Despite exceeding expectations as the backup last season, Johnson has some personal doubts that he has tried to quell before fall camp and moving into the season.

“I feel like I’m not ready for the next level, in a number of ways,” Johnson admitted. “(Lanning) definitely picked me for a reason (to go to Big Ten media days), and that reason was because I was working my tail off in the summer.”

Whether he deserves the pressure or not, Johnson is shouldering more responsibility this season to prove to himself that he is ready for the NFL when they come calling after the season. In addition to helping the Ducks overcome their struggles in the College Football Playoff, Johnson has personal goals to accomplish.

Watching Sadiq last season might have been the key to taking the next step.

“Heading into this season, it put a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “Last year, I just came in trying to get the playbook down and play. But this year, it changes a little bit because this year I pretty much have a bigger and better chance of going to the NFL. Something just kind of clicked. You really don’t have that much time to play college ball anymore, so you’ve got to start picking it up. That’s what I did.”

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: How Kenyon Sadiq changed Jamari Johnson’s daily routine at Oregon