Unique Senior Bowl Interviews: WRs Jalen Royals & Tez Johnson who present sizes don’t outline them

The receiving class on the Reese’s Senior Bowl was excellent all week. The 1-on-1 drills with the defensive backs are the place you both shine or fold and show your flaws. Under are two vast receivers who every had a terrific week because the Cleveland Browns coaches and entrance workplace watched on.

Jalen Royals had 1,914 yards with 21 touchdowns in his remaining two school years with 32 school begins. He suffered a foot damage final October that ended his senior 12 months however he nonetheless had 834 yards in a brief seven-game season.

He has been referred to as a draft “sleeper” however has had an awesome week of apply and confirmed he belongs within the league. Towards Boise State, he put up 211 yards on 9 receptions with two scores.

Tez Johnson has taken over the Senior Bowl and impressed everybody regardless of being solely 156 kilos. He catches the whole lot and has extra strikes than Miralax. With 20 landing catches in his remaining two school seasons together with 83 and 86 receptions, respectively. Had a beast of every week right here in Cellular.

Should you don’t know his story, Johnson’s father dedicated suicide when he was in highschool. His highschool soccer coach, Pat Nix, took him in and finally adopted him. Pat’s son is Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix. The pair received a highschool state championship plus performed collectively at Oregon. Within the questions beneath, he talks about that journey.

Dawgs By Nature workers author Barry Shuck lined the Senior Bowl this week and was in a position to speak to 2 of the week’s finest receivers.

Picture by Sam Wasson/Getty Pictures

Jalen Royals – Utah State
6’-0”, 205 kilos
40 time: 4.38
Projected spherical: 3

Q: What do you wish to show this week on the Senior Bowl?

A: That I belong right here. The damage took away some video games that made my numbers decrease than I might have appreciated. Only a man who will get it accomplished and does no matter I’ve to do to get it accomplished. My practices and work ethic this week will say fairly a bit about me.

Q: You performed at a smaller faculty. Is {that a} drawback?

A: I don’t assume it’s a bonus or a drawback. I notice that some individuals won’t have seen me play on Saturdays or on TV. So long as I’m within the scout’s radar that’s what counts. And being invited to an All-Star sport such because the Senior Bowl. That tells them that somebody is paying consideration.

Q: Who’re a few of your favourite NFL gamers?

A: I like Deontay Johnson who’s a dimension comparability to me. He’s very shifty and I’m very shifty. I additionally like D.J. Moore.

Q: When did you start to note NFL scouts?

A: After my progress spurt I observed them in my junior 12 months of highschool. They got here largely for the senior gamers, however my coach mentioned they’d requested him some questions on me. I had about 4 gives that 12 months and much more the next 12 months.

Q: In Madden NFL soccer, are you excited to see your self, and what could be your finest options?

A: I might like to see myself within the sport. My vertical leap is admittedly good, in order that must be my smartest thing you will note about me at first. I do know the sport by no means likes rookie gamers so I might not anticipate an excessive amount of.

#UtahState WR Jalen Royals is one among my favourite for worth gamers within the 2025 Draft:

Very athletic and powerful WR, Royals is one of the best after the catch. Extraordinarily productive, has an excellent catch radius

Attainable Gem Day 2, Cannot wait to see him work on the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/KRAQbSqAtT

— Andy (@CUandyy) January 28, 2025

Q: How are your blocking expertise and do you have got a celebration dance that you’d do should you pancaked a defensive again?

A: I’m able to stick with my man so long as I can. So far as a celebration, I don’t know. That’s extra of an in-the-moment factor. I’m not a lot for celebrations anyway.

Q: Might you are available and be that third man, or would you relatively sit and be taught for a 12 months?

A: I might are available and compete for the third man place. No matter comes, no matter occurs, hopefully, come into a spot that wants a man with good fingers and might contribute straight away. I’m not an individual who desires to take a seat, though I’ll be taught. However no one who’s aggressive is glad with not taking part in.

Q: You’re a heavy exercise man. Why the eye?

A: My mindset is that if the ball is thrown my manner, it’s mine to catch. And defensive backs have plenty of pace and most are very bodily. I prefer to work out and I like being round all the fellows throughout and after figuring out. However you need to assault the ball when it’s within the air after which attempt to get guys off of you when you catch it. That takes energy. I simply have that behavior.

Q: When did you determine that you would compete on the NFL stage?

A: I actually didn’t watch a lot soccer as a child. However in my sophomore 12 months in school that was my turning level.

Picture by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Pictures

Tez Johnson – Oregon
5’-9”, 156 kilos
40 time: 4.3
Projected spherical: 3

Q: You performed in a giant program. How did you put together to play in big video games?

A: Towards a troublesome opponent, we all know we have now to return out quick in apply and emphasize vitality. You’re employed on a sport plan and stick with it. I wish to be one of the best participant on the sphere always.

Q: Your journey is a tragic story and one among success. By unlucky circumstances, you grew up within the dwelling of Bo Nix’s household. What has your life been so far?

A: I used to be 15 and virtually 16. It was an entire change for me. It was a distinct journey. Being a black child and shifting right into a white household’s home I needed to be taught other ways. As a child, I used to be fairly defiant and getting in hassle, getting suspended from faculty. However I needed to be taught guidelines and obey to be able to get the place you needed to be. At first it was like eyes on me. I used to be spooked. My organic mother beloved the Nix household to dying and at all times been supportive. They modified and impacted my life.

Q: How did you view soccer at the moment?

A: Soccer was my ardour. I used to be good at taking part in and simply starting to get higher. Taking part in was how I used to be in a position to deal with the issues at dwelling and get my thoughts off the whole lot. I used to by no means go dwelling and be out with the mistaken individuals and simply again to taking part in soccer the subsequent day. I used to be at college only for soccer. I couldn’t miss it.

Q: What was your relationship with Bo like?

A: Bo is at all times critical – he nonetheless is. He was the child in highschool no one needed to speak to. His was like my dad. He by no means missed faculty and was both learning or at baseball or at soccer. He was already a university pupil in highschool. He was a professional at a younger age. He was raised to be a professional at the whole lot he did. And once I moved in, I believed if he can do it I can do it. As a receiver, if I dropped a move from him I believed I let all people down. Particularly him.

Q: Bo’s dad was your highschool coach. How troublesome is it being a coach’s child?

A: I didn’t perceive the ideas on the time however I knew I might play. However I began to grasp the place I wanted to be and why I wanted to be there. It was no extra “T-whip” or “T corner” performs. Now it was “Menu 9 H-post.” I do know I’m the “H”, the submit man. I’m going to take the highest off the protection. Now that I can see the whole lot, the sport strikes so sluggish for me now.

Q: Why did you are feeling you wanted to return and play within the Senior Bowl?

A: For me personally it was simply coming again near dwelling rising up close to Birmingham. That was a simple determination for me. I’m the man who likes to compete. Right here it’s the better of one of the best so why not present why they invited you. Additionally it is an opportunity for these NFL guys to see why I’ve been on prime of my sport all these years. It’s an opportunity to show myself.

Q: After going to Troy, you ended up in Oregon and had an awesome season. What have you ever been doing because the school soccer playoffs?

A: The primary week it was relaxation and restoration. It was a really bodily season for us. Now I’ve been coaching with T.J. Houshmandzadeh and a few Tennessee guys. You image your self in these moments however you don’t when that point goes to return. I’m coaching to be one of the best on the sphere. You end up competing towards your self and the opposite guys within the league.

Q: What belongings do you provide an NFL membership?

A: I’m a man who can come out and return kicks, work within the slot, and take a five-year play right into a 50-yard landing. I’ve the flexibility to have the ability to time my jumps properly and might rise up there. I combat for each catch and get separation. I’ve an consciousness that I can catch any ball and get open at will.

Q: Some media guys are calling you “unguardable.” Your ideas?

A: You win it inside. Each possession goes to be vital. It’s a must to push vertical actually exhausting and make the DB consider that the transfer you might be giving him is the actual deal in order that he’ll chunk on it, and chunk on it exhausting. That’s how separation is achieved.

Q: Who’re a few of your favourite NFL gamers?

A: Cooper Kupp, Tank Dell, and Tyler Lockett. All of them have good fingers and can go after dangerous balls. I’m the identical manner. Tyler Lockett can cowl some floor, Cooper is an efficient route runner and an excellent decision-maker, and Tank Dell will get actually good separation. All of them had a giant function in my life and in my sport.

Q: What have you ever realized on the Senior Bowl out of your first apply day to the final?

A: Everyone right here is nice. You bought to should separate your self from the fellows who’re among the finest within the nation. Your routine issues.