Vikings projected to select Dillon Thieneman once again

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this week, in a city where the Vikings could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. In the final days and moments ahead of the selections starting on Thursday, there is still plenty of mock drafts to sort through.

CBS Sports' Carter Bohns recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team going in the defensive direction with a pick we have seen a time or two. He has them drafting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, in a selection that seems to be the one we shall see come Thursday night.

Bohns explains the Thieneman pick, writing, "Even if Harrison Smith elects to wait another year to enter his retirement, the Vikings will need a replacement at safety in the near future. Grabbing Dillon Thieneman in the first round allows them to start a prized rookie if needed, and it might just bring some finality to the game of limbo they are playing with Smith after releasing him with a post-June 1 designation. Thieneman is versatile enough to play at any safety position and thus would probably be able to carve out meaningful and valuable early-career playing time in the event Smith comes back for another season."

Thieneman seems destined to take over for the Hall of Famer-in-waiting, Harrison Smith. He has the range, aggressiveness, and athleticism to be a fantastic fit in Brian Flores' defense. All that is left is to tune in on Thursday to see if he ends up wearing purple and gold for the foreseeable future.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Draft: Vikings projected to select Dillon Thieneman once again