Five Oregon Duck defenders named to the Associated Press first team

Led by Kayvon Thibodeaux and Noah Sewell, Oregon took up nearly half of the AP first-team defensive selections.

The Oregon Ducks defense was one of the best in the Pac-12 and the Associated Press took notice.

Oregon occupied nearly half of the AP All-Pac-12 first-team defense released on Friday with five selections, while two more players earned second-team honors.

Defensive linemen Popo Aumavae and Brandon Dorlus, along with defensive back Verone McKinley III, linebacker Noah Sewell, and defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux were all named to the first team, giving Oregon five of the 11 spots on the first-team defense.

The Ducks have five first-team selections for the second time in the last three years, and their five defensive first-team honorees are the most in program history.

On offense, running back Travis Dye and kicker Camden Lewis earned second-team recognition, giving Oregon seven total AP All-Pac-12 selections.

To no one’s surprise, Thibodeaux is an AP All-Pac-12 first-team selection for the third year in a row, becoming the first Oregon player ever to achieve that feat.

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