Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman was the next to take center stage and steal the show at the NFL Combine
The NFL Combine has been nothing short of incredible this week. First, the big defenders took the field on day one, and then on day two, the defensive backs took center stage.
When the DB's take the line, it is an evening filled with smooth operators and blazing speeds. There was a 4.27 40-yard dash, there were several great field drills, and many players who made themselves some money in April's draft.
For Oregon safety Dillon Thienman, there wasn't much room for him to rise, and yet he still did exactly what he needed to do to confirm his spot at the top of this draft.
Thieneman is projected to be a mid-first-round pick, likely to a team in that 15-20 range. He has been rumored to be a good fit for a team like the Minnesota Vikings to be the heir apparent to a player like Harrison Smith.
Whichever team selects the young star is getting a very high-quality football player, and that was confirmed on Friday evening. Thieneman posted a blistering 4.37 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot broad jump.
His composite athletic scores were at the top of the chart, and he is absolutely considered an elite NFL talent. What Thieneman lacks in size, as he stands at just 6-foot-1 and weighs just 201 lbs., he makes up for in raw athletic ability.
Thieneman is not only a very special and gifted athlete, but he is also just a very high-quality football player.
The former Oregon star playmaker comes from the football state of Indiana, where he spent his first two seasons in college at Purdue University. After giving his home-state team an honest try, he packed his bags and hit the transfer portal, ending up in Eugene.
He burst onto the scene for the Ducks with some very impressive performances, none bigger than the game-winning interception against the Penn State Nittany Lions that sealed a massive road win.
Thieneman finished the year with 92 tackles, five pass breakups, two interceptions, and one sack to his resume. He was one of the leaders of the Ducks' defense, one that made it to the National Semi-Final before being ousted by the eventual National Champion.
Thieneman tested very well on Friday and may have improved his draft stock a marginal amount. With the questions about Caleb Downs coming to light, he is going to become more and more valuable as the draft inches closer.
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