Oregon Ducks Safety Depth Chart After Jadon Canady Drafted In Fourth Round

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Oregon safety Jadon Canady with the No. 109 overall pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Canady is the second Oregon safety taken off the board in the draft. The Chicago Bears selected star Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round.

With both Thieneman and Canady off to the NFL, Oregon’s safety room is set to look a whole lot different next season, but it still has the potential to be a key part of the Ducks' defense.

Oregon Ducks College Football Big Ten NFL Draft Jadon Canady Dillon Thieneman safety Kansas City Chiefs Ole Miss Rebels — Oregon defensive back Jadon Canady competes in the 40-yard dash during Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his one season with the Ducks, Canady recorded 39 total tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. Canady also spent two seasons each with the Tulane Green Wave and the Ole Miss Rebels, and over the course of his five-year collegiate career, he recorded 154 total tackles, four interceptions, and one forced fumble.

Following the selection of Canady by the Chiefs, here’s a breakdown of Oregon’s depth at safety heading into the 2026 college football season.

Koi Perich

Minnesota Golden Gophers transfer Koi Perich is set to be the leader of Oregon’s safety group next season, and he hasn’t even played a defensive snap for the Ducks yet. Perich arrives in Eugene as one of the top transfer portal players and looks to play a crucial role on Oregon’s defense next season and in their chase for a national championship.

The opportunity to compete in the College Football Playoff and win a national championship was one of the deciding factors in Perich choosing the Ducks. In his two seasons playing on Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s Golden Gophers defense, Perich recorded 128 total tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one sack.

Carl Williams IV

To improve their depth at safety, Oregon added Baylor transfer Carl Williams IV. In his three seasons with Baylor, Williams recorded 57 total tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack, and an interception.

As a transfer prospect, Williams was ranked No. 344 overall nationally and the No. 27 safety. As an underrated safety pickup for the Ducks, Williams looks to play a key role in the Ducks' secondary next season.

Three Safety Recruits Set to Arrive For 2026 Season

Oregon Ducks College Football Big Ten Dan Lanning Jett Washington 2026 recruiting class Koi Perich Carl Williams IV transfers — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Part of their top-ranked 2026 recruiting class, Oregon is set to bring in three talented safety recruits, highlighted by the arrival of Bishop Gorman star Jett Washington from Las Vegas, Nevada.

As one of the top players in Oregon’s 2026 recruiting class, Washington has the potential to make an immediate impact for the Ducks' defense next season. Washington is ranked the No. 1 safety nationally and No. 23 overall player nationally as a five-star recruit, per 247Sports.

Four-star safeties Devin Jackson and Xavier Lherisse are also recruits to watch entering the 2026 season at safety for Oregon’s defense. Under first-year defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, Oregon’s defense looks to continue its dominance on defense following the departure of Tosh Lupoi to the California Golden Bears this offseason.

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