Bears secure a top safety prospect falling to No. 25. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman's playmaking ability and speed promise an immediate impact for Chicago's defense.
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman waited a little longer to hear his name called out on Thursday night than where he was projected to go by draft analysts.
Many thought the Minnesota Vikings would be the obvious choice to select him at No. 18. But the Vikings made a risky choice to draft Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, who suffered a foot injury in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
The Chicago Bears scooped Thieneman up at No. 25. The Bears needed a safety after losing several defensive backs this offseason, including two starting safeties, Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports liked what the Bears did with Thieneman. He called the selection of the former Ducks safety one of the "steals" of the draft.
"Thieneman, CBS Sports' third-ranked safety prospect, is a great fit for the Bears, particularly after an offseason that saw veteran safety Kevin Byard leave in free agency," Sullivan wrote.
Now, the Oregon product comes aboard as the first defensive player the Bears have picked in the first round since 2018 and should start right out of the gate.
"Last season, Thieneman earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after posting 96 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. His 91.0 grade from Pro Football Focus was second among all FBS safeties."
The Bears signed Cody Bryant as a free agent, weeks after the safety won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Bryant and Thieneman will allow the Bears to have speed in the secondary to "suffocate" opposing offenses, thinks Chicago general manager Ryan Poles.
Thieneman was just excited to be picked in the first round.
"Never knew what kind of path I was going to take,” Thieneman told the ESPN broadcast on Thursday night.
“I mean, starting at Purdue, ending at Oregon, but just extremely thankful for everyone that’s been with me throughout the way and the journey I’ve gone on... I’m very versatile, and I’m able to use my speed and play recognition to play fast and play aggressively."
Thieneman was considered by many around the league to be the second-best safety in the draft behind Caleb Downs. He was a solid choice for the Bears.