Jeremiah "TJ" McClellan is the kind of player who makes coaches smile in practice but has not yet had his moment under the lights. At 6-0, 195 pounds, he has the frame and the route-running ability to be a legitimate weapon in Drew Mehringer's offense. He got meaningful reps in 2025 and is now competing for a spot in the WR rotation alongside Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart, and Gary Bryant Jr. McClellan is the name you do not know yet. By the end of 2026, you might know it very well.
6-0
Height
195 lbs
R-So
Year
3 seasons remaining
WR
Position
Competing for rotation
2025
Breakout Setup
Got meaningful reps
2
Years in the system before the opportunity opened
Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden are in the NFL. McClellan's moment is now.
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Why He Matters
Oregon's receiver room lost its top two targets (Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden) to the NFL after 2025. That opens a massive number of targets in the passing game. Dante Moore needs reliable options. McClellan has spent two years learning the system, getting stronger, and earning coaches' trust in practice. Sometimes the breakout player is not the five-star freshman. Sometimes it is the guy who put the work in and was ready when the opportunity came. McClellan has done the work. The opportunity is here.
What to Watch in Spring
In the spring game, watch whether McClellan runs with the first or second team. His route-running precision will stand out if you know what to look for. Watch how Dante Moore looks his way on third downs. Trust on third-and-7 is different from trust on first-and-10. If Moore is targeting McClellan in high-leverage situations during the spring game, that tells you the coaching staff sees him as someone they can count on when it matters.
The Path
McClellan came to Oregon as a four-star prospect out of St. Louis. He redshirted his first year, then earned meaningful reps in 2025 as a redshirt freshman behind Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden. Both of those veterans are now in the NFL. The target share they leave behind is enormous. McClellan has been in the system long enough to understand the route concepts, the option routes, the sight adjustments. The question is not whether he knows what to do. It is whether he can do it at full speed against Big Ten cornerbacks. Spring is the answer.
What to Watch at the Spring Game
1
First-team or second-team reps: this tells you everything about where the coaches have him.
2
Third-down targets: trust on third down is earned. If Dante Moore is looking his way, McClellan has arrived.
3
Route precision: watch his breaks at the top of routes. Crisp breaks mean the coaching is taking hold.
4
After-catch ability: at 6-0, 195, can he create yards after the catch against physical defensive backs?
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeremiah "TJ" McClellan is a redshirt sophomore wide receiver from St. Louis. A former four-star recruit, he got meaningful reps in 2025 and is competing for a spot in the WR rotation in 2026 alongside Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart.
Not yet, but he is competing for a rotation spot in the 2026 WR room. Oregon lost its top two receivers (Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden) to the NFL, creating a massive target share opportunity.
Sources: GoDucks.com, 247Sports (2025-2026). This page covers on-field performance and publicly available recruiting data only.