Kayvon Thibodeaux put on a show for scouts and gave the media some quote-worthy material at Oregon's pro day.
The defensive end said it was "ridiculous" to say he's not the best player in this year's draft and it is 22/1 to hear his name called first on draft day later this month, while it's 13/10 that his final position is under 5.5.
Stock heading in wrong direction
His draft stock has been falling since he entered the 2021 season as the consensus choice as the likely first overall pick with Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson clawing his way to the top of most analysts' lists.
Scouts have been drawn to Hutchinson's humble, under-stated approach and senior-year production, but Thibodeaux's outright talent keeps him in the conversation for the number one selection.
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He totalled 126 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks in three seasons at Oregon, but has dropped in many mock drafts as some insiders have questioned his love for football.
Thibodeaux speaking up
College athletes often get asked why they should go first or in round one at their pro days, but with so much noise swirling around Thibodeaux he managed to turn the volume up higher when asked what the most ridiculous thing he'd heard said about himself during the pre-draft process.
"The most ridiculous thing I've heard is that I'm not the best player in this draft," Thibodeaux told reporters, via The Eugene Register-Guard.
"I really don't listen to anything else, but that to me, that's outrageous.
"With the film, with the numbers and what I can do as far as my ability, I have confidence in what I can do."
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