Kayvon Thibodeaux: Oregon defensive end using NIL deals to fund future in community

Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux will likely hear his name called very early at the 2022 NFL Draft in April. He is poised to continue making life difficult for opposing offenses, both at the college and professional levels, for many years.

That’s great, but Thibodeaux wants to do more than show up on Saturday or Sunday and get pressure in the backfield, even though it is exactly that which will allow him to achieve his greater goals.

“The only reason people care about this story is because of football, and the only way I’ll be able to open a school and do anything I want to do is through football,” Thibodeaux said. “I’ll never lose sight that football is what got me here and that football is the platform.”

ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren recently profiled the star defensive end, showing a side that many may not know too much about. The former No. 1 recruit in the nation in the class of 2019 has aspirations which include starting a charter school, designing his own shoes and being an example for youth who come from backgrounds like he did. Thibodeaux grew up in south central Los Angeles. 

VanHaaren’s account of Thibodeaux’s upbringing offers a detailed look into the future first-round draft selection’s past.

Thibodeaux has a heavy focus on education

For starters, Thibodeaux transferred to the prestigious Oaks Christian High School as a junior, a private school in a very nice part of the Los Angeles area known for churning out Division I athletes. Having had that experience and comparing it to those in his community, the junior has a strong interest in access to quality education.

“One thing I’ve realized is what we need to change the community is the education system and with our youth in the future,” Thibodeaux said. “I’ve been having people pointing me in the right direction on how to open a school. Hopefully I’ll get in touch with LeBron one day, be able to figure out how he did it and the ups and downs he had.”

Thibodeaux wants to speak with one of the most recognizable faces in sports because James opened his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio in 2018. 

While his future NFL paycheck will certainly help Thibodeaux achieve these goals, right now, he is racking up NIL deals to get the process started. Thibodeaux has deals with United Airlines and has an NFT with Nike’s Phil Knight, an Oregon alum and artist Tinker Hatfield. Additionally, he recently started his own cryptocurrency. 

While Thibodeaux is surely focused on wrapping up his college football career and trying to get the Ducks back to the College Football Playoff for the second time, his bigger goals will always be in the back of his head, driving him to continue to play football. 

“My expectations are higher for myself than anybody else,” Thibodeaux said. “My strength coach made a joke and said, ‘I realized what kind of person you are, that you like to tell everybody your goals, so everybody can hold you to them.’ That’s me. I’ve never shied away from a challenge and everything’s a competition, so once I realized the position I was in, I had to either win or lose.”