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Andy Smith's top Oregon football players of all time. Read his top 10 Oregon football players and power rankings.
Top 10 Greatest Oregon Football Players Of All Time
In this ranking, we will analyze the top 10 greatest players in Oregon football history. We will look at career statistics, legacy, and impact during their time with the Ducks.
No. 10: Haloti Ngata, DT
Haloti Ngata suffered a torn ACL at the start of his collegiate career. However, Ngata returned to form over his final two seasons and earned the final spot on this list. In 2005, Ngata was named Pac-12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American. During this season, Ngatata tallied 61 combined tackles with three sacks.
No. 9: Dillon Gabriel, QB
Even though Dillon Gabriel only played one season for the Ducks, he performed at an elite level. He led the Ducks to a perfect 13-0 record and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs. He threw for 3,857 yards and tallied a combined 37 scores. He was named the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year and finished third in Heisman voting.
No. 8: Troy Franklin, WR
Troy Franklin is at the top of the franchise record books in terms of receiving scores. Across three seasons, Franklin caught 25 passing scores, the most in school history. During his final two seasons, he led the Pac-12 in receiving scores and caught a combined 1,137 receiving yards. He posted a strong career 15.5 YPR. He was later drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
No. 7: DeForest Buckner, DT
DeForest Buckner played a lead role during his four-year career for the Oregon Ducks. He appeared in at least 12 games in each season and 13 in all but one. Buckner tallied 231 combined tackles and 18 career sacks. The 6-foot-7 lineman was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. His elite performances resulted in him being drafted seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
No. 6: Royce Freeman, RB
Royce Freeman is the clear top running back in Oregon football history. Freeman ran for a combined 5,621 yards during his four-year Oregon career. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four seasons. Freeman led the Pac-12 in rushing scores during each of his first two seasons. He finished his career with a stellar 5.9 yards per carry.
No. 5: Bo Nix, QB
Bo Nix began his collegiate career with Auburn but took the next step in his devlopment during his time in Oregon. Nix was the QB1 during each of his two seasons for the Ducks. Nix led the Pac-12 in completion percentage in each of these two campaigns. During his final season (2023), Nix led the Pac-12 in passing scores and completions. He also finnished third in Heisman voting this season as well.
No. 4: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE
Kayvon Thibodeaux was the greatest defensive player in Oregon football history. However, Thibodeaux was unable to show this on the scoresheets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which cut his career short. However, when on the field, Thibodeaux was dominant. Across 32 games, Thibodeaux tallied 19 sacks with 126 combined tackles. He was named a consensus All-American during his final season and was later drafted fifth overall by the New York Giants.
No. 3: Justin Herbert, QB
Justin Herbert is one of just two quarterbacks in school history to throw for more than 10,000 yards as a Duck (more on the other later). Herbert spent four seasons in Oregon and averaged an impressive 2,635 yards per season. During his final two seasons, he tallied at least 29 passing scores in each campaign. He finished his collegiate career with a 153.1 passer rating.
No. 2: Marcus Mariota, QB
Marcus Mariota is the other quarterback in the 10,000-yard club at Oregon. However, unlike Herbert, Mariota was able to win several accolades during his collegiate career. Mariota spent just three seasons in Oregon but was the most dominant quarterback in the nation during his time. He won the 2014 Heisman Trophy. During this season, he threw for 4,454 yards and 42 passing scores. He added 15 rushing scores during this incredible campaign as well.
No. 1: Penei Sewell, OT
Penei Sewell narrowly took the top spot over Mariota. Sewell wasted little time to become a lead option on the offensive line, starting in seven games as a freshman (2018 season). Then in 2019, Sewell appeared in 14 games and was the leader of the offensive line. He was named a consensus All-American and captured the Outland Trophy. His 2020 campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Sewell has already emerged as one of the NFL’s top linemen with the Detroit Lions.
