Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 14 — Walter Thurmond III
Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They've been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They've seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft.
It's safe to say that when looking at the nation's best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That's a different question entirely.
To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we're going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way.
But who is the best of the best?
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle
That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success.
Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks.
If you want to catch up, let's take a look at how we've gotten to where we're at in the rankings:
Today, let's continue with No. 15 — Walter Thurmond III
Player Overview
Walter Thurmond III's time with Oregon was very similar to Jairus Byrd, his teammate and fellow member of the D-Boyz. While he did not have a star ranking, he shined in high school as a two-sport star who was considered one of the fastest players in the state of California. Thurmond would immediately show the college world why they were foolish to pass over him, becoming a star with the Ducks.
Walter Thurmond III Career Stats
41 Games — 253 tackles, 13 TFL, 12 INT, 3 TD
Single Best Season
13 Games — 103 tackles, 8 TFL, 5 INT, 2 TD
The star defensive back was productive during his entire college career, but his best work was done in his sophomore season. This is where the comparisons to Byrd begin, as Thurmond demonstrated excellent versatility in 2007, showcasing his impact in the tackling department, creating turnovers, and even scoring points himself.
Historical Stats and Records
Walter Thurmond III NFL Draft
Thurmond's final two seasons in Eugene were injury-riddled, which tanked his draft stock considerably, falling to the fourth round where the Seattle Seahawks selected him with the 111th overall pick.
Walter Thurmond III NFL Success
Sadly, the success he had with the Ducks did not translate to the NFL as Thurmond retired after just six seasons. The one thing that did follow him to the next level was the injury bug, which is a major contributor as to why his professional career sputtered.
Thurmond recorded just 160 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, and 3 sacks. But, the vast majority of those numbers were recorded in his final season, so his career ended with bubbling optimism.
Walter Thurmond III's Lasting Legacy
Walter Thurmond III is a name that could one day be lost in the annals of NFL history, but that can never nullify the impact he had at Oregon. He arrived on the scene at a time when a ton of other talented defenders peppered the Ducks roster and helped foster the culture that is in place today. One of the members of the legendary D-Boyz, Thurmond signifies a period of supremacy and defensive dominance that the people of Oregon will always carry with them.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Manhattan gunman was trying to target NFL but took wrong lift, says New York mayor
A gunman who killed four people in a New York office block was trying to target the NFL headquarters but took the wrong lift, the city's mayor has said. Eric Adams said it's believed he was trying to get to the NFL (National Football League) offices after shooting several people in the lobby. Shane Tamura, from Las Vegas, accidentally entered the wrong set of lifts, the mayor said. "We have reason to believe that he was focused on the NFL agency that was located in the building," Mr Adams told MSNBC. A police officer, Didarul Islam, was among those killed on Monday. The 36-year-old was married with two children and his wife was pregnant. Sky's partner network, NBC News, said a note was found in which the suspect expressed anger at his mental illness potentially being linked to him having played American football. Tamura played high school football but never played in the NFL. 's police commissioner said yesterday that the gunman had a "documented mental health history". The shooting happened at 345 Park Avenue - a skyscraper in Manhattan that also houses firms including investment company Blackstone and KPMG. Blackstone said on Tuesday "words cannot express the devastation we feel" as it confirmed a senior managing director, Wesley LePatner, had died in the shooting. "She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone," said a statement. The firm said she was married with children. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo to staff that one of its employees was stable in hospital after being seriously injured in the attack. CCTV captured Tamura, 27, walking towards the building carrying a rifle after getting out of a black BMW just before 6.30pm. New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch said he entered the lobby and immediately shot the police officer. "He then shoots a woman who took cover behind a pillar and proceeds through the lobby, spraying it with gunfire," she told reporters on Monday. "He makes his way to the elevator bank where he shoots a security guard who was taking cover behind a security desk." Read more from Sky News: Ms Tisch said Tamura then called for a lift which opened in the lobby. "A female exits that elevator and he allows her to walk past him unharmed," she said. "He goes up to the 33rd floor... and begins to walk the floor firing rounds as he travelled. One person was struck and killed on that floor," she continued. The gunman then fatally shot himself in the chest. Sources close to the investigation said the note found with Tamura claimed he had been suffering with CTE, a degenerative brain linked to concussion and repeated head impacts common in sports such as American football.
USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
Buffalo Bills sign two receivers with injuries mounting
Two pass-catchers have found themselves back with the Buffalo Bills this week. Thanks in part to a bit of a whirlwind of circumstances. Re-joining the team on a one-year deal is wide receiver Deon Cain, who was with Buffalo for training camp last summer, putting up three catches for 28 yards during preseason action. Cain was a 2018 sixth-round NFL Draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts out of Clemson. He has also played for the Eagles, Ravens, and Steelers, as well as for the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL, earning MVP honors during the 2023 USFL Championship game with a three-touchdown performance. Joining him in the Bills receiver group is an undrafted rookie receiver who proved to be a 96-hour release-then-resign player, Kelly Akharaiyi. Akharaiyi was gearing up for his first NFL training camp practice when he was waived along with punter Jake Camarda in order to make room for former Patriots tight end Matt Sokol and second-year wide receiver David White Jr. out of Jacksonville. White was excused from Friday's practice for personal reasons, then placed on the reserve/retired list. Buffalo then pivoted to re-sign Akharaiyi Saturday to the 90-man roster. While the opportunity this time of year is valuable for players to compete to earn a roster or practice squad spot, and for coaching staffs and front offices to evaluate their play and potential fit in the team's depth charts and cap space, the circumstances that led to their signing is "not ideal" as head coach Sean McDermott put it this week. At least four wide receivers were unavailable for the first padded practice of training camp Monday, with nearly half of their passing game targets -- Tyrell Shavers, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, Kaden Prather -- and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, out due to injuries. While McDermott and company will hope those players will make a speedy and full recovery, others like Cain, Akharaiyi, and Sokol will have their chance to earn consideration to compete for a depth spot on the roster.
USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
The most talented Penn State roster yet? James Franklin thinks so
Veteran Leadership and Young Talent If you ask James Franklin, this 2025 Penn State team isn't just another squad. It might be the best he's ever had from top to bottom. 'This is the best combined personnel that I think we've had at Penn State,' Franklin said at Big Ten Media Days. 'And when I talk about personnel, I'm talking about players and staff, from a depth, from a talent standpoint, and from an experience standpoint.' That's saying a lot considering this is Franklin's 12th season running the program. He credited the roster's strength to a mix of homegrown development, smart recruiting, and the right transfer additions. It starts with his leaders—guys like Drew Allar, Nick Dawkins, and Zakee Wheatley. All three were at media day and represent the kind of veteran core that sets the tone for everything. Dawkins, for example, is a six-year senior with two degrees already and going for a third. Wheatley has been a turnover machine in the secondary, with nine takeaways so far. Allar is heading into year three as the starting quarterback with some of the cleanest stats in college football. But it's not just about experience. Franklin made it clear the talent pipeline is flowing stronger than ever. 'When it comes to player development, we expect to have anywhere between 10 and 12 guys drafted this year,' he said. 'We've averaged over five draft picks per year in my 12 years at Penn State. That's a stat we're very, very proud of.' He even took it back to 2016, the year Penn State won the Big Ten Championship. That season only produced one 2017 NFL Draft pick—Chris Godwin. Now? The expectations are higher, and so is the output. Another sign of how loaded this team is? Franklin brought in eight guys from the transfer portal, but he stressed they're not a program that relies heavily on it. 'We're not a big portal team,' he said. 'We'll go out and make some moves and make some adjustments to fill maybe a gap.' That strategy is paying off. Instead of overhauling the roster, Penn State used the portal to plug specific needs—just like programs used to with junior colleges. When asked if having all this talent adds pressure to win it all this year, Franklin welcomed the question. 'These are always the expectations at Penn State,' he said. 'There's a lot of people excited on a national level… but that hasn't changed internally in our program.' At the end of the day, Franklin knows preseason hype means nothing unless you back it up. 'The only rankings that matter are the ones that happen at the end of the season,' he said. So now it's about handling business. And if Franklin's confidence is any indicator, business might just be booming in Happy Valley this fall.
