Grading the Bears' selection of Dillon Thieneman in 2026 NFL Draft
Here's our grade for the Chicago Bears' first-round selection of Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, filling a major position of need on defense.
The Chicago Bears had the No. 25 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft and used it wisely, addressing a position of major need when they selected safety Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon. Chicago's secondary was a big question mark coming into the draft, especially at the safety position where they lost starters Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, as well as veteran Jonathan Owens.
Making a splash on the first day of free agency, the Bears signed safety Coby Bryant, who was coming off a Super Bowl championship with the Seattle Seahawks . Bringing in Thieneman, along with Bryant, will help achieve two big things that the coaching staff and front office were open about, getting better in coverage at the position and adding more speed across the board on defense. Here's our draft night grade for the Bears selection of Dillon Thieneman: Grade: A+ The reason for the perfect grade is because general manager Ryan Poles never got anxious, never felt the need to trade up, and let Thieneman fall in their laps when he was frequently mocked to not be on the board leading up to the draft.
Thieneman's playmaking ability, excellence in coverage at the safety position, and even more, clean tackling ability will make him a Day 1 starter after being a first-round pick, barring any extreme circumstances. Chicago knew what they needed to get done, and they got a player who wasn't expected to be there at their selection, it's a win-win across the board for both sides. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears select Dillon Thieneman: Grading Chicago's pick in NFL Draft