Oregon S Dillon Thieneman picked No. 25 by Chicago Bears in NFL draft

The Oregon Ducks could not have asked for much more from safety Dillon Thieneman last season when he transferred to Eugene after two seasons at Purdue. Now, after a big season with the Ducks and a monster performance at the NFL scouting combine, Thieneman was selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Although safety isn't always a premium spot in the NFL Draft, the 2026 draft class was loaded with great talent at the position. Some draft experts viewed Thieneman as the best safety in the class, despite Ohio State's Caleb Downs going to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 11 pick in the draft, becoming the first safety to come off the board. He did slip down the board compared to where many mock drafts predicted he would be picked, but Thieneman still lands in a great situation and a chance to play and win right away.

Thieneman began his college career at Purdue, where he played two seasons. He racked up 210 tackles, six interceptions, and 14 pass-breakups with the Boilermakers. He earned multiple All-American nominations and became the top safety in the transfer portal before choosing to spend his junior season at Oregon.

The Ducks deployed Thieneman both as a deep safety and in a rover role over the middle of the defense. He finished second on the team with 92 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, two interceptions and seven pass deflections. Thieneman memorably jumped a route along the sideline against Penn State for a walk-off interception in double overtime. He also made an interception late in Oregon's rivalry win over Washington and quickly established a reputation as one of the hardest hitters on the team.

Thieneman capitalized on his short time with the Ducks as an impact transfer to solidify himself as a first-round pick. At the combine, Thieneman turned heads with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, 41-inch vertical jump and 18 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, the most amongst all safeties. As the draft approached, he only continued to rise on draft boards, leading the Bears to select him.