Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 7 — De'Anthony Thomas

Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century. 

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?

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:

• No. 25 — Bucky Irving 
• No. 24 — TJ Ward 
• No. 23 — Tez Johnson 
• No. 22 — Troy Dye 
• No. 21 — Samie Parker 
• No. 20 — Patrick Chung 
• No. 19 — Kayvon Thibodeaux 
• No. 18 — Troy Franklin 
• No. 17 — Nick Reed 
• No. 16 — Jairus Byrd 
• No. 15 — Jeff Maehl 
• No. 14 — Walter Thurmond III
• No. 13 — Bo Nix
• No. 12 — Penei Sewell
• No. 11 — DeForest Buckner
• No. 10 — Joey Harrington
• No. 9 — Dennis Dixon
• No. 8 — Jonathan Stewart

Today, let’s continue with No. 7 — The Black Mamba, De'Anthony Thomas.

Player Overview

When De'Anthony Thomas dropped his commitment to USC and came to Oregon, it signified the first recruiting battle the Ducks won over the Trojans on this magnitude. It was major news when he flipped on signing day. The Trojans envisioned DAT as the next Reggie Bush and it was a major blow to their program when he came to Eugene.

As it turned out, he was the perfect player for Chip Kelly's offense. It could be said DAT was the most electrifying player in Oregon history. Every time he touched the ball, whether it was as a running back, a receiver, or a kick returner, there was always a good chance he would take it to the house. DAT was a video game in real life and it was a blast to watch.

De'Anthony Thomas’ Career Stats

2011-13: 243 rushes, 1,890 yards (7.8 ypc), 26 TD, 113 catches, 1,296 yards (11.5 ypc), 15 TD, 25.8 yards per KO return, 4 TD, 17.1 yards per punt return, 1 TD

De'Anthony Thomas’ Single Best Season

2012 — 13 Games, 92 carries, 701 yards (7.6 ypc), 11 TD, 45 catches, 445 yards, 5 TD, 24.3 yards per kick return, 1 TD, 13 punt returns, 222 yards, 17.1 ypr

DAT became more of a fixture in the Oregon offense his sophomore season and the production shows. He was more of a plug-and-play type guy his freshman season as the Ducks were still trying to figure out how to maximize his talents. However, in 2012, everything came together, including a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the Fiesta Bowl, which set the tone for the entire game in a 35-17 win over Kansas State.

De'Anthony Thomas’ Historical Records

• 10th Most Rushing Touchdowns in Oregon Ducks History
• 2011: All-Pac-12 First-team (Pac-12 Coaches, Phil Steele)
• 2011: Freshman All-America (Sporting News)
• 2011: All-Freshman First-team (Phil Steele)
• 2012: 2nd Team All-America (FOXSportsNEXT.com)
• 2012: Maxwell Award Semifinalist (College Player of the Year)
• 2012: Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention (Pac-12 Coaches)

De'Anthony Thomas NFL Draft

Thomas was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

De'Anthony Thomas’ NFL Success

DAT played six seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Chiefs. He ended the 2019 season with the Baltimore Ravens. However, he never really made the type of impact in the NFL as he did in Eugene. Injuries also slowed him down some and speed was a major factor in his game. In total, he played in 69 games and scored four touchdowns in his career.

De'Anthony Thomas’ Lasting Legacy

Thomas was a product of his time and was exactly what Chip Kelly needed for his offense —a do-everything hybrid player who was just emerging on the scene in college football. If Thomas was playing now, college football teams would be lining up with the NIL money waiting to throw his way.

Oregon and USC had often fought over recruits in the Southern California area, but Thomas shocked the world when he flipped. It was a huge off-the-field win for the Ducks, a trend that keeps on going to this day.

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.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon football’s top 25 players since 2000: No. 7 De'Anthony Thomas