What draft experts said about new Bears safety Dillon Thieneman

The Chicago Bears got a steal in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the selection of Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick. Thieneman is another speedy, versatile weapon for Dennis Allen's defense. The Bears had a starting safety job to fill heading into the draft, and the best-case scenario unfolded for them in the first round as Thieneman fell right into their laps.

Looking back, this could be another Colston Loveland or Luther Burden III impact addition in just one year. Following the departures of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, Chicago has remade their secondary with the selection of Thieneman and free-agent addition of Coby Bryant, who should be a dynamic duo in the defensive backfield. Here's what some expert draft analysts had to say about Thieneman during the pre-draft process and what Bears fans can expect to see: Dane Brugler, The Athletic "A one-year starter at Oregon (and three-year starter overall), Thieneman was a hybrid safety in former defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s scheme and wore a variety of hats (deep middle, robber, nickel etc.

). A productive post safety at Purdue for two seasons, he transferred to Eugene for his junior season and earned a 2025 All-America nod for the Ducks, with both of his interceptions clinching victories late in a game (Penn State and Washington). He collected more than 300 combined tackles in three college seasons and averaged 7.

9 tackles per start. With his open-field athleticism, Thieneman has a lot to offer in the NFL because of his versatility making plays over the top in coverage or downhill versus the run. He shows impressive range and anticipation from the deep half of the field, as well as the intelligence to understand what opponents are trying to do.