The Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list gave Oregon a little recognition on Wednesday - and a lot of room for debate.
Two Ducks showed up on the list for the award honoring the nation’s most outstanding FBS receiver regardless of position: UAB transfer Iverson Hooks and tight end Jamari Johnson. But the bigger reaction around Eugene came from who wasn’t included.
Hooks arrives in Oregon after a 2025 season at UAB that put him firmly on the radar. He posted 72 catches for 927 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 starts, earning All-America Conference second-team honors. Ducks fans have already drawn comparisons between Hooks and former Oregon slot receiver Tez Johnson because of their similar size and burst, and if Hooks has anything close to a Tez-like run in Eugene, postseason hardware would be in play.
Johnson, meanwhile, gives Oregon another intriguing name in a tight end room that already featured 2026 NFL Draft first-round selection Kenyon Sadiq last season. The Louisville transfer put up 32 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, and he’s already turned up on multiple preseason lists, including the John Mackey Award and Walter Camp Preseason All-America second team. With Sadiq gone, Johnson has a real chance to sit at the top of the depth chart in 2026 and make a case for postseason recognition - and maybe more.
The surprise was the omission of Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan. Those three are expected to anchor Oregon’s wide receiver room in 2026, and all three have already shown they can produce.
Moore, the former five-star and No. 1 receiver in the 2025 class, had a strong freshman season with three receiving touchdowns, 497 yards on 34 catches, plus 49 rushing yards and a touchdown. He now heads into his sophomore year with a full season in Oregon’s system behind him.
McClellan’s redshirt freshman season looked a lot like the kind of step forward Oregon hoped to see after a year in Eugene. He finished with three receiving touchdowns, 557 yards and 38 receptions.
Stewart’s case is different, but his resume is plenty strong. He missed the 2025 season because of a torn patellar injury, yet he still brings proven production from 2024, when he recorded five touchdowns and 613 yards on 48 receptions. That season included standout showings in wins over Boise State and Ohio State.
All three have drawn praise this fall from Dan Lanning, Ross Douglas and teammates during camp. And with Oregon’s receiver group crowded and Johnson adding another dangerous target for the quarterbacks, the Ducks could end up spreading production across plenty of hands in 2026.
Still, the lack of a preseason nod for Moore, McClellan and Stewart leaves a clear talking point. Each has a path to a big season, and each now has the chance to make the omission look short-sighted.
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