Chicago Bears select safety Dillon Thieneman from Oregon with No. 25 pick in 2026 NFL Draft
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night. He was the second safety selected.
Thieneman was everywhere the Ducks defense needed him — deep middle, in the box or over the slot — and he had a knack for arriving when outcomes hung in the balance. He capped his lone season at Oregon with All-American and All-Big Ten honors, punctuated by two game-sealing interceptions against Penn State and Washington.
Across three college seasons, the first two of which were at Purdue, Thieneman paired steady production with durability to pile up 306 tackles while averaging nearly eight per start. His range and anticipation allow him to cover ground on the back end, while his willingness to trigger downhill makes him an active presence against the run. Though he may not be the most explosive athlete and can be inconsistent with tackling angles, his versatility and general feel for the game give him the profile of a scheme-friendly safety.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
Thieneman ranked No. 18 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler said about Thieneman in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Thieneman reminds me of Justin Reid because of his scheme-friendly recognition skills and eagerness to get busy as a run defender. He projects as a durable NFL starter and has versatility that should appeal to a variety of defensive structures.”
Coaching intel
Here’s what a Big Ten offensive coordinator said in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“He has really good ball skills, so you’ve always got to pay attention to where he’s at. He’s very physical as that middle guy in their three-high safety defense, and he did a great job of filling once he read that it was run. He’s really versatile.” — Big Ten offensive coordinator
Scott Dochterman grades the pick
The Bears completely turned over their safety corps this offseason, and one of the top prospects dropped in their laps. He can do it all for the Bears. He’s a hitter, can cover anyone, and he’s from Indiana (perhaps the Bears’ future home?). This is a big-time win for GM Ryan Poles. It’s my favorite pick of the first round.
Thieneman (6-foot, 201 pounds) had a productive three-year career — two at Purdue, one at Oregon. He was a freshman All-American in 2023 after intercepting six passes. Last year, he earned second-team All-American honors with seven breakups and two interceptions. He was uber-productive as a tackler with 306 in his three seasons. Plus, he ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and benched 225 pounds 18 times at the combine with a 41-inch vertical jump. Grade: A+
Austin Mock’s assessment
Thieneman falls to the Bears at 25. Solid value for the Bears as Thieneman ranked 17th on our consensus big board. The Bears invested heavily on offense in last year’s draft; they go defense early this year. I would have preferred some help on the defensive line, but Thieneman should help against the pass and the run.
How he fits
Thieneman has the playmaking ability and versatility to fit nicely into Dennis Allen’s defense. He can be a chess piece for Allen. He has the speed and physicality to make plays in space, while showing a nose for the ball. In three-safety looks, he’d play the “robber” position, a sign he can do a bunch of different things for Allen. — Kevin Fishbain
Depth-chart impact
This was the easiest first-round pick to insert in the depth chart. Thieneman should start right away next to free-agent prize addition Coby Bryant. With Bryant entering the first year of his contract, the Bears should be set at safety for several seasons, with two players who grade quite highly. Thieneman’s ability to do a bunch of things also means he could slot in at nickel if the Bears needed (or wanted) him to. We’ve seen Allen employ a dime defense with six defensive backs, and he’ll be able to do a lot of things with Thieneman. — Fishbain
They also could have picked …
The other top safety, Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, was still on the board. He had a couple of injuries in college, and Thieneman outrated him with his versatility and athleticism. The Bears also could have targeted the defensive line. Edge rushers T.J. Parker and Zion Young were on the board, as well as defensive tackles Peter Woods and Kayden McDonald. They also could have gone with a left tackle like Caleb Lomu. But none of those players would have been a surefire, Day 1 starter like Thieneman. — Fishbain
Fast evaluation
Based on what we knew about this draft class and the Bears’ needs, this was a no-brainer. Thieneman doesn’t have a whole lot of weaknesses, and the Bears had a giant hole at safety next to Bryant. He has strong football character, crushed the combine — he ranked in the 97th percentile with his athletic testing. As director of college scouting Breck Ackley said, Thieneman checked every box, and the Bears didn’t have any questions about what he will bring to Halas Hall. — Fishbain
