Penei Sewell – Offensive Tackle
The big boys up front are often the unsung heroes of a successful offense, so it’s not surprising that we haven’t profiled an offensive lineman in one of these pieces throughout the season.
Until now.
Simply put, it would be a serious dereliction of duty to not give Sewell his moment in the sun here, especially for a fan base that values offensive line play more than any other in the nation. The 6-6, 325-pound tackle has probably been the most dominant lineman in the nation this year as the anchor of Oregon’s outstanding unit up front, and he was recognized as such by taking home the Outland Trophy over Wisconsin’s very own Tyler Biadasz and Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
Just how good is Sewell? If he were eligible for this spring’s NFL draft, he would likely be a top ten pick as a true sophomore. As it stands now, you’re looking at a guy who could go top five or perhaps even top three in 2021, at least according to some way-too-early mock drafts.
Troy Dye – Linebacker
2019 stats: 75 tackles (46 solo), 9.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Dye has had a prolific career in Eugene, recording 91 total tackles as a true freshman and racking up over 100 during each of the following two seasons. However, things haven’t quite gone according to plan for the senior linebacker in his final season as a collegian.
He’s been banged up quite a bit this season, suffering a broken thumb against Washington in October that has him still playing with a cast on his right hand. It’s worth noting that Dye has also been practicing with a brace on his knee throughout Oregon’s recent practices. As a result, it’s not surprising that his production has dipped a bit this season.
That being said, there’s still no doubt that Dye is one of the best defensive players in the Pac-12. He still leads Oregon in tackles and ranks second in tackles for loss, and earned second-team all-conference honors for his efforts. He may not be playing at 100 percent against Wisconsin tomorrow, but you can be sure that Dye is going to be amped up to go out a winner on such a big stage in the final chapter of his college career.
Kayvon Thibodeaux – Defensive End
2019 stats: 34 tackles (23 solo), 14.0 TFL, 9.0 sacks, 3 PD, 1 FF
Thibodeaux was a five-star recruit and the No. 2 overall player in last year’s recruiting class according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and he has looked every bit the part of a budding superstar for the Ducks as a freshman this season.
An Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 selection, Thibodeaux leads Oregon in both tackles for loss and sacks and ranks second and third in the conference in each category. The sky is the limit for the 6-5, 242-pound edge rusher moving forward, and while his best days are ahead of him, it’s safe to say he’s been pretty darn good for the Ducks here at the beginning of his career.