Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 19 — Kayvon Thibodeaux
Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century.
Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They’ve been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They’ve seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft.
It’s safe to say that when looking at the nation’s best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That’s a different question entirely.
To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we’re going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way.
But who is the best of the best?
That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success.
Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks.
If you want to catch up, let’s take a look at how we’ve gotten to where we’re at in the rankings:
Today, let's continue with No. 19 — the game-wrecking Kayvon Thibodeaux .
Player Overview
A five-star recruit out of Oaks Christian High School in California , Kayvon Thibodeaux committed to play for Oregon and became the highest-rated commit in program history , a title he holds to this day. He played three seasons with the Ducks , spending the majority of the time in the opponents' backfield. He burst onto the national scene as a true freshman, leading Oregon in several major statistical categories.
His dominance didn't end there, as he registered 10 sacks over his final two seasons and was named the Pac-12 Championship Game MVP in 2020 and was a unanimous All-American in 2021.
With his massive, yet athletically gifted frame at 6'5" and nearly 260 pounds, Thibodeaux routinely commanded double- and triple-teams. He was undoubtedly one of the best — and most feared — defensive linemen in college football across his three seasons.
Kayvon Thibodeaux Career Stats
32 Games — 126 tackles, 34 TFL, 19 sacks
Single Best Season
2021: 11 games — 49 tackles, 12 TFL, 7 sacks
Though Thibodeaux battled an injury that caused him to miss two games, he still led the team in both tackles for loss and sacks and had a number of dominant, game-changing performances throughout the season. Despite Oregon finishing with a relatively disappointing 10-4 record and an Alamo Bowl loss, Thibodeaux was a finalist for both the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award, was a unanimous All-American and was named PFF's Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Historical Records and Stats
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7th Most Career Sacks in Oregon Ducks History (19.0)
Kayvon Thibodeaux NFL Draft
Thibodeaux's NFL-ready frame and skills led to his selection as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants . He was Oregon's first top-five selection since Marcus Mariota went No. 2 overall in 2015.
Kayvon Thibodeaux NFL Success
The immense talent Thibodeaux displayed at Oregon has been evident in spurts with the Giants, as he amassed 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his second season. Yet he missed eight games combined in his rookie and third year, combining for 9.5 sacks total. But at just 24 years old, Thibodeaux still has tons of room to grow into a potential All-Pro type of player in the future.
Kayvon Thibodeaux's Lasting Legacy
Thibodeaux is unquestionably one of the most dominant defenders ever to don the green and yellow for the Ducks. He came out of high school with sky-high expectations and more than lived up to them, collecting accolades and leaving as a bona fide game wrecker. Now in the Big Apple, the support for Thibodeaux is still very strong among Duck fans despite being all the way across the country.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks football's top 25 players since 2000: No. 19 Kayvon Thibodeaux
