Koi Perich among most important non-QBs in 2026, per ESPN
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It's not hard to argue that the Oregon Ducks have one of, if not the single most important player in the nation, going into the 2026 college football season. Under center, quarterback Dante Moore enters the year as one of the top signal callers and is a real threat to win the Heisman Trophy and be selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick next spring.
If Moore has a great year, then you can figure that the Ducks will have a great year and be in the mix for a national championship when all is said and done.
Away from the QB position, though, Oregon is also home to one of the nation's most important non-passers, according to ESPN. Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich figures to be a major difference-maker in Eugene this season, and what he can bring to the Ducks' defensive secondary and special teams will be a determining factor in how far they go this year.
"Perich has shown in his first two college seasons that he can impact games in multiple ways, and he now joins an Oregon team seeking its first national title," ESPN's Adam Rittenburg writes. "Although Perich's numbers in 2025 didn't pop as much as they did the previous year — he had five interceptions at Minnesota and became the first FBS freshman since 1976 to record 100 or more punt return yards, 100 or more kick return yards and five interceptions in a season — he still produced at safety and returner, while moonlighting at times with the Gophers' offense."
The Ducks have had success bringing in this type of player, with the latest being Dillon Thieneman, who came to Oregon from the Purdue Boilermakers, where he was a highly-touted young player with a bit of intrigue surrounding his game. After one year with the Ducks, he further blossomed into an eventual first-round NFL draft pick this past spring.
"They're similar with the amount of football they've played, how much they love football, and what it means to them," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. "You know, what the drill looks like, how intense they are, the time put in. But there's a different skill set for both those guys."
If the Ducks are going to reach the heights that they hope for in 2026, a large part of it will be on Perich in the secondary stepping up and being an All-American-caliber player. If he can do that, then Oregon should be in great shape.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks S Koi Perich among top non-QBs in 2026, per ESPN
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