A versatile playmaker arrives in Eugene. Can this Minnesota transfer fill the void left by Dillon Thieneman and bolster Oregon's championship hopes?
The Oregon Ducks had two players taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tight end Kenyon Sadiq went off the board first, going to the New York Jets with the No. 16 pick.
Safety Dillon Thieneman was expected to go to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 18. However, the Vikings pulled off a shocker, selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks.
Thieneman would have likely been a pick for the Dallas Cowboys had they not lucked out to land Caleb Downs with the No. 11 pick.
Thieneman slid down a little in the draft, but he went to a good home, landing with the Chicago Bears at No. 25.
The Ducks made the most out of Thieneman's one year with the team after he transferred from Purdue. Now Oregon needs to find another playmaker in the secondary as the program competes for a national championship this year.
Paolo Uggetti of ESPN thinks another transfer will make an impact for Oregon in 2026. He named Koi Perich as the likely replacement for Thieneman this year.
"After two seasons at Purdue, Thieneman transferred to Eugene and made the most of the bigger stage, proving himself to be one of the top defenders in the country," Uggetti wrote. "How do you replace his impact in the secondary? By following the same playbook.
"Lanning and new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton went and grabbed one of the more talented defensive prospects in the portal, Minnesota's Koi Perich. Although Perich was billed as a potential two-way phenom with the Gophers, his addition to this Oregon team will allow him to focus on excelling as a defensive back in one of the more talented defensive units in the sport."
Perich made 82 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one interception and two passes defensed for the Golden Gophers last season.
Like Thieneman, Perich has room to develop as a player under head coach Dan Lanning. Perich showed plenty of talent for Minnesota, but he could turn into a big-time NFL prospect this season if he makes an impact on the Ducks.
Perich has serious ballhawking skills, recording four interceptions for the Golden Gophers in 2024.