Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux will declare for the NFL draft and forgo his final two seasons of eligibility, according to a report from ESPN on Monday night.
The 6-foot-5, 258-pound pass rusher also will skip Oregon’s bowl appearance as he prepares for the draft. His decision to not play in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma on Dec. 29 followed the departure of his head coach, Mario Cristobal, to Miami earlier in the day.
Thibodeaux, a Los Angeles native, could be a top-five pick in next year’s draft. He tallied 19 sacks in 31 career games at Oregon, leaving him tied for seventh on the school’s all-time sack list.
Thibodeaux also had 34 1/2 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles with the Ducks. He was the program’s first defensive lineman to earn All-America status since DeForest Buckner did so in 2015.
This season, Thibodeaux is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player.
–Field Level Media