Koi Perich tabbed as Oregon's X-factor in 2026

The Oregon Duck s had a countless number of valuable contributors a season ago, but there's an argument that safety Dillon Thieneman was the most valuable with the way that he was deployed all around the field. Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi didn't keep his star safety in one spot, putting him around the line of scrimmage, in the hook-to-curl range and on the back end of the defense.

Coming over after two standout seasons with the Purdue Boilermakers , Thieneman entered the 2025 season with high expectations. He more than lived up to them, turning himself into the 25th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His situation is eerily similar to Koi Perich , who comes over to the Ducks after two exciting seasons with the Minnesota Golden Gophers .