Cat Scratch Reader selects Dillon Thieneman for Panthers in 20th annual SB Nation community mock draft

TL;DR

The Carolina Panthers selected Dillon Thieneman, a safety from Oregon, with the 19th pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft. Thieneman is seen as a polarizing prospect, with evaluations ranging from a top safety to a potential Day 2 pick.

Key points

Dillon Thieneman selected by Carolina Panthers
19th overall pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft
Thieneman is a safety from Oregon
Evaluations on Thieneman vary widely
Potential to enhance the Carolina defense

Dillon ThienemanOregon DucksCaleb DownsCarolina Panthers

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 01: Dillon Thieneman #31 of the Oregon Ducks lines up for a play during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl game between the Oregon Ducks and the Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 1, 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Welcome back to another year of the SB Nation Community Mock Draft! As we do every draft season, all 32 NFL sites at SB Nation come together to fill out an entire first-round mock draft leading up to the actual event that takes place from April 23-25. One by one, our site managers will make their picks and provide their reasoning behind the selection. From there, I will provide further analysis on top of giving a final opinion on the pick! Without further ado, let’s keep things rolling! With the 19th overall pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft, Cat Scratch Reader’s Walker Clement and the Carolina Panthers select Dillon Thieneman, safety, Oregon! **Clement’s analysis:** **My analysis:** Thieneman is one of the more polarizing prospects in this class as the opinion and evaluations on him range from being the second-best safety in the class behind OSU’s Caleb Downs to being no better than a Day 2 pick. Evaluators and draftniks are continuing to undervalue the safety position and when they are seemingly so divided on a player like Thieneman — who has been nothing but productive no matter where he’s played — you can’t help but shake your head. He’s also one heck of an athlete! He’s truly the whole package at the position and there are really some out there who think he isn’t worthy of being picked in the first round. Good on Walker here to go and get his guy. If Thieneman really could be the missing piece to unlocking the Carolina defense and taking them to another level, then you have to go get him.

Q&A

Who is Dillon Thieneman and what position does he play?

Dillon Thieneman is a safety from the Oregon Ducks, known for his athleticism and productivity on the field.

What pick did the Carolina Panthers use to select Dillon Thieneman?

The Carolina Panthers selected Dillon Thieneman with the 19th overall pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft.

Why is Dillon Thieneman considered a polarizing prospect in the NFL draft?

Thieneman is considered polarizing due to varying evaluations, with some analysts ranking him as the second-best safety while others believe he may not be worthy of a first-round pick.