Kayvon Thibodeaux tabbed by ESPN as nation's No. 3 player
ESPN released its list of the top-100 college football players for 2021 on Monday, and Oregon star Kayvon Thibodeaux is perched near the top of the list.
Thibodeaux is coming off a stellar 2020 season during which he racked up numerous second-team All-American honors. Now, the sophomore is poised for an absolutely massive campaign this fall and is receiving plenty recognition from national outlets.
ESPN listed Thibodeaux as the No. 3 player in college football, and the top player in the Pac-12 by some distance.
“The potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Thibodeaux has demonstrated over the past two seasons why he arrived in Eugene as the top-ranked player in 2019 class,” ESPN wrote in its justification for his spot on its list. “He’s as dynamic a pass rusher as there is in college football, and the stage is set for a massive 2021.”
Thibodeaux came in nine spots ahead of USC quarterback Kedon Slovis, who is the next-highest ranked Pac-12 player on the list.
The only other Ducks to crack the list were running back CJ Verdell at No. 97 and wide receiver Johnny Johnson III at No. 98. USC also had three players selected to the list, as did Washington.
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler took the No. 1 spot, while LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. came in at No. 2.
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Thibodeaux named preseason All-American
The preseason honors just keep coming for Oregon’s star sophomore.
On Monday, the Associated Press released its preseason All-American list and tabbed Thibodeaux as a first-team selection.
Walter Camp, Pro Football Focus, Athlon Sports, Sporting News and Phil Steele have also selected Thibodeaux as a preseason All-American.
Last season, Thibodeaux racked up 38 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in seven games. He became the first Oregon defensive lineman since DeForest Buckner in 2015.
The Associated Press named Thibodeaux a third-team All-American, while Phil Steele, the Athletic and FWAA named him a second-team All-American.
