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5 star defensive end recruit Kayvon Thibodeaux has committed to the University of Oregon over finalists Alabama, Florida, Florida State live on ESPN during the halftime of the New Mexico Bowl.
He hails from Oaks Christian High School in Thousand Oaks, CA. A 6’4 239 defensive end prospect that would be the highest ranked signee in program history, even beating out one of the GOAT Ducks, Haloti Ngata.
According to 247 Sports, his primary recruiter was Safeties coach Keith Heyward and secondary recruiter was OLB coach Cort Dennison.
247 Sports has him ranked the second best in the nation, second best wide defensive end, and first in the state of California.
ESPN has him ranked as the top recruit in the nation, tops at his position, and tops in the state of California.
Here’s the video of him committing
Kayvon Thibodeaux @kayvonT8 shocked the world and will be headed to Eugene.
— Kevin Wade (@KwadeSays) December 15, 2018
Highest rated commit in program history. https://t.co/vGex2UGeDR pic.twitter.com/uSgzQVJFNB
SB Nation Recruiting Analyst Bud Elliott has more thoughts on KT
5-star DE @kayvonT8 committed to Oregon. Ducks' great class now gets maybe the best player in the country. Huge @AddictedToQuack https://t.co/ANpDQAxbf7
— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) December 15, 2018
ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton points out the absurdly ridiculous recruiting job that Mario Cristobal and co have done for this cycle
With #ESPN300 No. 1 overall Kayvon Thibodeaux in the fold, #Oregon Top 10 class now has 10 #ESPN300 & 16 #ESPN 4-Star/5-star commitments. #Ducks had the No. 6 ranked class prior to @kayvonT8 verbal. https://t.co/p7eid1XM0T
— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) December 15, 2018
Greg Biggins of 247 Sports has some reasons why KT chose the Ducks, citing his relationship with Coach Cristobal here
ESPN Stats and Info has a crazy Pac-12 stat for us Ducks
Kayvon Thibodeaux, the top ranked player in the 2019 ESPN 300, commits to Oregon.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 15, 2018
The defensive end from Westlake Village, CA is the first number 1 recruit to pick a Pac-12 school since Matt Barkley in 2009.
As of press time, Oregon has the top ranked class in the Pac-12 and fifth ranked class nationally with the addition of Thibodeaux with 20 commitments.