Sports
Ty Simpson, Jeremiyah Love headline NFL Draft's biggest reaches in first round
Ty Simpson and Jeremiyah Love headline the biggest surprises in the NFL Draft's first round.
CBS Sports Headlines1 min read
NFL
Instant analysis of Bears' selection of Dillon Thieneman in NFL draft
TL;DR
The Chicago Bears selected Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in the NFL draft, opting to stand still rather than trade. This choice follows the departure of Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, aiming to strengthen their secondary.
Key points
- Chicago Bears selected Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick
- The team did not trade up or down in the draft
- Thieneman joins Coby Bryant in the secondary
Dillon ThienemanJaquan BriskerKevin ByardCoby Bryant
It was an unusual wait in the first round to see who the Chicago Bears would select with the No. 25 overall pick. Chicago didnāt trade up or trade back. Instead, they stood still and waited to see how the board would fall, and they landed a stud in Oregon safely Dillon Thieneman.
After moving off of Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, Chicago now has a new duo in the secondary with Thieneman and free-agent addition Coby Bryant.
General manager Ryan Poles reiterated that the Bears would select the best available player with their first pick. Tackles like Kadyn Proctor and Monroe Freeling went in the middle rounds, Akheem Mesidor went three spots ahead of the Bears, and although players like Caleb Lomu and Zion Young were available, Thieneman was the pick.
2026 NFL Draft: Bears select Dillon Thieneman
Thieneman met formally with the Bears, and with his 4.35 speed, coming off a 95-tackle season with five pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for loss, he brings versatility and toughness, a high IQ style of play, and can play all over the field.
Thieneman will fit perfectly alongside Bryant, and all of a sudden, Chicagoās back-end secondary is set for the foreseeable future. And now defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has a Tyron Mathieu-like hybrid safety to coach with speed and good against the run and pass.
And more importantly, a playmaker who can be a week 1 starter, making an immediate impact.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears draft Dillon Thieneman: Instant analysis of Chicago's pick
Q&A
Who did the Chicago Bears select in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Chicago Bears selected Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick.
What position does Dillon Thieneman play?
Dillon Thieneman plays as a safety.
Why did the Bears choose Dillon Thieneman over other players?
The Bears aimed to select the best available player, and Thieneman was deemed the top choice despite other options like Caleb Lomu and Zion Young being available.
