3 Reasons Why Dillon Thieneman Will Be Oregon Ducks' Most Valuable Player

Coach Dan Lanning added plenty of weapons to the No. 7 Oregon Ducks’ arsenal in the offseason, while also returning key players.

How the Ducks’ new starting quarterback performs in 2025 will be a key indicator of how the team fares, as well as maintaining a healthy lineup. Oregon has a number of standout players on its roster, but who will be its most valuable player this season?

Transfer safety Dillon Thieneman has a good case to be the Ducks’ MVP and put himself in contention to be an early pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Enters Oregon As A Top Safety

dillon thineman oregon ducks tosh lupoi big ten chris hampton safety transfer trey mcnutt purdue boilermakers dan lanning — Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) reacts after a Penn State Nittany Lions touchdown Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn State Nittany Lions won 49-10. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thieneman was one of the top transfers in the portal after the 2024 season.

The safety spent two seasons with the Purdue Boilermakers, where he proved himself as one of the top safeties in the Big Ten. During his standout freshman season, Thieneman earned an 89.5 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade.

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In 2024, Thieneman led all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 tackles and recorded seven pass breakups and a sack. The safety is set to start on a quality Oregon defense this season and seems hungry to prove himself yet again.

“Embrace the change,” Thieneman said at Oregon media day. “Know that things are going to be a little different, but I’m in a new place and I’m ready to get out to the field and show what I can do. I know I got two years behind me, but I still got a lot more that I need to do.”

Thieneman To Take On Leadership Role

The Ducks have a talented but young defensive back room this season. Oregon did add redshirt seniors Jadon Canady and Theran Johnson from the transfer portal, but players such as Na’eem Offord, Ify Obidegwu, Dakoda Fields and Peyton Woodyard are younger guys in the room who could carve out roles for themselves in the coming years.

The addition of Thieneman becomes even more important for the Ducks from a leadership perspective.

“He’s a lead by action individual. He’s a detailed individual,” Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said. “He’s the essence of attacking details, and if something is unclear or perhaps I haven’t coached it well enough or whatever it is, he’s going to ask, whether he’s calling you, texting you or ask you after practice or in between a drill, and I love that about him.”

Canady said that him and Thieneman have spent a lot of time together and have helped mentor some of the younger defensive backs. Thieneman and the Ducks’ transfer defensive backs bring knowledge and experience to the young position.

“All the experience I have from my past two years, I wanted to use that as a platform to kind of be a leader and help the younger guys who don’t have as much experience,” Thieneman said.

Position Versatility

The defensive back room is dealing with an injury to freshman Trey McNutt. With his absence and the team preparing to move players around depending on matchups, the coaching staff has trained Thienman and others to play field safety, boundary safety and star.

“He’s coming on strong here and once again, some great young players pushing,” Lupoi said. “We’ve done a lot of dual training in that room.”

“From playing our nickel position, what we call the star, boundary safety, field safety, and then even some stuff with our dime and corner, even, rotating through that room, and that’s a special thing when you can do that,” Lupoi continued. “Really cool to move those guys around and challenge them there and (Thieneman’s) one of those guys that’s been dual trained in multiple positions.”

If the Ducks need to switch things up in a pinch, Thieneman’s dual training makes him even more valuable.