Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman received a surprising projection in a recent NFL mock draft.
safety Dillon Thieneman declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after one year with the program. NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his first mock draft, predicting Thieneman as a first-round selection. Jeremiah has the Chicago Bears selecting Thieneman with the No.
25 overall pick. Thieneman is a versatile athlete, and with the safety position likely a need for the Bears this offseason, Oregon could go another year producing Oregon head coach Dan Lanning holds an orange during the head coaches press conference ahead of Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2025, in Dania Beach, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Thieneman is a talented safety, but his first-round selection could be surprising. Although he could fall to the second round, his position could be what pushes him to night one of the draft. "The Bears figure to be in the safety market with the contracts expiring for Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Thieneman can play both safety spots and could cover in the slot if needed,"Thieneman transferred to Oregon ahead of the 2025 season after spending two years with the Purdue Boilermakers. He played all 15 games with the Ducks and proved to be a talented athlete. Thieneman finished the season racking up 92 total tackles, one sack, and two interceptions. One of his most notable plays of the year came against the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road. The matchup went into overtime, and Thieneman caught the interception that sealed Oregon's win over the No. 3-ranked team at the time. The interception showed that Thieneman can make clutch plays to help his team win. Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesThieneman also brought a veteran presence to a young secondary with Oregon. While he may have played just one season with the program, he came in and stepped up as a leader with the Ducks. When Thieneman transferred to Oregon, Ducks’ coach“He’s infatuated with the extra work," Lanning said. "There's probably not a day that goes by that he’s not in the weight room, getting bonus work, doing extra rehab, getting extra film. His intelligence, all those things are really picking up, you know, establishing some standards for the DB group and how they're going to operate.” The way he takes the initiative and puts in the work will be an aspect of Thieneman that stands out to NFL teams and helps him become a first-round selection. Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs leaves the field following the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Miami Hurricanes on Dec. 31, 2025. Ohio State lost 24-14. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images In Jeremiah’s mock, Thieneman would be the No. 3 safety, selected after Ohio State’s Caleb Downs and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. If the safeties go off the board quickly, Thieneman’s name will be one to watch during the first round of the draft.Thieneman will not be the only name to watch for in the first round of the draft. Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq is expected to be a first-round pick, but which team he falls to varies. Jeremiah has him going No. 27 overall to the San Francisco 49ers, but with Sadiq’s talent, he could go much earlier. Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq talks with reporters during Oregon football’s Media Day on July 28, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesEmmanuel Pregnon. Pregnon transferred to Oregon ahead of the season as well and played a substantial role in the offense’s success. Oregon produced 10 draft picks in 2025, including two first-rounders. With Thieneman’s projection, it could be the second straight year Oregon produces multiple first-round selections.Angela Miele is a beat reporter covering the USC Trojans, Colorado Buffaloes, and Oregon Ducks for On SI. She earned her master’s degree in Communication and Media at Rutgers University and holds a B.A. in English with minors in Writing Arts and Sports Communication and Media from Rowan University. With experience covering several sports, she is focused on building a career in sports journalism, combining her passion for sports and writing.
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