​Tez Johnson is just embarking on his second NFL season, yet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver already stands out as one of the best seventh-round picks in the league. Daire Carragher of Pro Football Focus highlighted the top seventh-round selections at every position by naming an All-Seventh Round team, and Johnson earned a spot among the receivers. He joined Jauan Jennings and Devaughn Vele as the top receivers drafted in the seventh round.
“At 165 pounds, Tez Johnson is a perfect candidate for the slot role,” Carragher wrote. “His rookie year had its ups and downs, but his four-game stretch from Weeks 5 through 10 — totaling 247 yards and four of his five career touchdowns — led some analysts to dub him the biggest steal of the draft.”
The reality is that very few seventh-round picks have the credentials to be named to the All-Seventh Round team at receiver. That fact doesn’t minimize Johnson’s achievement; it underscores how impressive it is that he produced at all after being selected that late.
Among active NFL receivers drafted in the seventh round, only seven have exceeded 300 career yards. Bo Melton has 309 career receiving yards, but he is transitioning to cornerback, illustrating the kinds of players found in this round. Noah Brown and David Moore stand out as two of the more productive seventh-rounders, with Brown totaling 2,083 yards and Moore 1,613. Yet injuries limited Brown to 83 yards last season, and Moore managed just five yards, making it difficult to give them the nod in their current forms. Ben Skowronek remains in the league thanks in part to special teams work, but his five-year total sits at 713 yards, with a pair of seasons yielding 69 yards.
Excluding those four players, there are only three viable candidates for the three receiver spots on the All-Seventh Round team. Jauan Jennings easily tops the list as the best seventh-round receiver, amassing 2,581 career yards and adding 643 yards last season. Devante “Vele” is next with 768 yards, including 293 from the previous year. Tez Johnson sits third, having produced 322 yards in his rookie season. It’s only one year of production, but given the limited success of most players selected in this range, Johnson’s early impact justifies his inclusion.
The most notable addition to the offense on the roster was Brock Purdy, the “Mr. Irrelevant” who has transformed into a franchise quarterback and become one of the NFL’s best stories.
In the 2025 draft, another offensive prospect joined Johnson, with Kyle Monangai selected at running back. At tight end, there weren’t many compelling options, so PFF chose rookie Jack Endries, with Devin Culp not earning a similar nod.
The offensive line shows legitimate starters, with Jordan Mailata and Rasheed Walker starting at tackle. The interior line features Will Fries and Micha, rounding out a line that provides strong protection and run-blocking potential, helping to create opportunities for Johnson and the rest of the offense.
In summary, Tez Johnson’s early impact as a seventh-round pick is notable, and his inclusion on an All-Seventh Round Team underscores the rarity of productive late-round receivers. While several seventh-rounders have carved out roles, Johnson’s rookie-season production and the trajectory of his development position him as one of the brightest late-round stories in the league.