Oregon Ducks' Secondary Predicted To Be Among Nation's Best Units

The Oregon Ducks’ defense was a key cog in the program's route to a 13-1 record in 2024, ranking among the best in the nation.

The Ducks’ secondary will look quite different this fall, but that isn’t stopping Pro Football Focus from ranking Oregon No. 6 in the nation ahead of the 2025 season.

Key defensive backs like Jabbar Muhammad, Tysheem Johnson, Brandon Johnson and Nikko Reed, moved onto the next level over the offseason, leaving holes to be filled in the roster.

Oregon Ducks defensive back Jahlil Florence against the Arizona State Sun Devils. — Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Jahlil Florence (6) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Ducks coach Dan Lanning and the program went out and recruited one of the best safeties in the transfer portal in Dillon Thieneman. The transfer safety spent his first two seasons at Purdue, leading all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 tackles last season.

Thieneman holds an 89.4 PFF grade since 2023, leading many mock drafts to predict the junior safety to go early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Lanning praised Thieneman’s work ethic and his leadership during spring scrimmages.

“There's probably not a day that goes by that Dillon's not in the weight room, getting bonus work, doing extra rehab, getting extra film. His intelligence, all those things are really picking up, establishing some standards for the DB group and how they're going to operate. I think he's done a great job of that, and I know he's not satisfied … I think he saw what Oregon could bring him, and I know he's going to bring a lot to Oregon.”
Lanning

Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman reacts after a Penn State Nittany Lions touchdown. — 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

A couple of other transfers who may play big roles in the Ducks’ secondary are Jadon Canady and Theran Johnson.

Canady spent two years at Ole Miss after starting his career with Tulane. The redshirt senior safety recorded 38 total tackles last season, and 11 passes defended.

Johnson, meanwhile, spent the first three years of his career with Northwestern. The redshirt senior recorded two interceptions last season, 40 solo tackles, 10 passes defended and his 79.4 coverage grade ranked ninth among Big Ten cornerbacks.

MORE: 5-Star Recruit Jett Washington Commits To Oregon Ducks As Class Ranking Climbs

MORE: Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders Roster Prediction from Cleveland Browns Insider

MORE: Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning Predicted To Miss Big Ten Championship Game?

Jahlil Florence and Peyton Woodyard are notable returners to the Oregon secondary. Florence utilized a redshirt last season due to injury but started nine games as a sophomore the year prior. He tallied 21 solo tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and an interception in 2023.

Woodyard played in all 14 games as a freshman, recording a tackle in five different games with nine total and five solo.

Oregon defensive back Peyton Woodyard works out during practice with the Ducks. — Oregon defensive back Peyton Woodyard works out during practice with the Ducks Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

“I feel like our safety room in particular, we have a lot of young guys, so we’re able to step up this year,” Woodyard said. “ … But I feel like us as sophomores we have to step up and fill a lot of these roles, and we have the talent to do that.”

Ohio State is the only Big Ten program listed ahead of Oregon in PFF’s 2025 secondary rankings, but Indiana is one spot below the Ducks at No. 7. Texas, Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State rank first through fifth heading into the fall.