The Chicago Bears added a playmaker for Dennis Allen’s defense with the selection of Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Thieneman was the best player available on the board when Chicago’s pick came around, and it was an easy choice for the Bears. Thieneman addresses a big hole at safety following the departures of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker this offseason, and he’ll be paired with Super Bowl winner and free-agent addition Coby Bryant in the back end.
Thieneman is a versatile safety who can play deep in coverage or in the box, and he’s a playmaker through and through. Speed has been the theme this offseason for defensive additions, and Thieneman certainly has that as evidenced by his 4.35 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Here’s a collection of all of the grades for Thieneman from various media outlets, where experts believe this was a massive steal and elite pick (including three perfect A+ grades) for the Bears and someone who will elevate this Chicago defense.
USA Today: A-
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: “Takeaways and a dynamic secondary were at the center of the Bears’ defensive push last season. Yet after signing Coby Bryant and now drafting Thieneman, Chicago now looks even more formidable at safety. Thieneman flew under the radar a bit until a breakout performance at the combine, but he can handle a variety of coverage assignments. The interceptions might not trickle in as easily as they did during his freshman season at Purdue, but Thieneman shouldn’t take long to establish his playmaker credentials.”
The Athletic: A+
Scott Dochterman: “The Bears completely turned over their safety corps this offseason, then one of the position’s top prospects plopped in their laps. Thieneman can do it all for the Bears — he’s a hitter, can cover anyone … and he’s from Indiana (perhaps the Bears’ new home?). This is a big-time win for GM Ryan Poles, and it’s my favorite pick of the first round. Thieneman (6-0, 201) had a productive three-year career (two seasons at Purdue, one at Oregon). He was a freshman All-American in 2023 after intercepting six passes. Last year, he earned second-team All-American honors, with seven breakups and two interceptions. He was uber-productive, securing a combined 306 tackles in his three seasons. Plus, he ran a 4.35 40, benched 225 pounds 18 times and posted a 41-inch vertical jump at the combine.”
NFL.com: A
Chad Reuter: “I linked Thieneman to the Bears in my mock drafts because of his athleticism and the team’s need at safety following the departures of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Thieneman can play as a center fielder, but he’s versatile enough to move into the box as a run defender. It’s a marriage made in football heaven.”
CBS Sports: B
Carter Bahns: “The Bears had not taken a defensive player in the first round since 2018, which was the longest stretch of any team. The expectation was that the streak would end, but the question was whether they would address the defensive front or continue to rebuild their secondary after a free-agent exodus. The latter came to fruition when Dillon Thieneman was available to them at No. 25. He is a Day 1 starter for a team with a hole at safety.”
Pro Football Focus: Elite
Pro Football Focus: “Thieneman didn’t often make it to Chicago in mock drafts, but the Bears will certainly be happy he was available here. Thieneman earned 89.0-plus PFF grades on multiple defenses — 2023 with Purdue and 2025 with Oregon — and can cover, defend the run and bring high-end athleticism. Given that the Bears came into this draft with a clear need at safety, this is an ideal scenario for Dennis Allen’s defense.”
Yahoo! Sports: B-
Charles McDonald: “This is another pick that was mocked incessantly in the lead-up to the draft, and it makes a whole lot of sense. Thienemen is a great athlete with a lot of smarts who was able to immediately jump into Oregon’s starting lineup and be a plus player for the Ducks. He joins a talented defensive backfield that will likely be the spine of the defense once again this season.”
Sports Illustrated: B-
Matt Verderame: “The Indiana native has been a steady riser throughout the draft process, being seen in that second wave of safeties alongside Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo. At Oregon, Thieneman racked up 95 tackles and two interceptions across 15 games last season, earning second-team All-American status. At the combine, Thieneman ran a blistering 4.35 40-yard dash with 1.52-second 10-yard split.
How he fits with the Bears: Thieneman will pair with Coby Bryant on the back end of coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense. The Bears needed to bolster their edge rush but decided to take the second safety off the board, perhaps helping Chicago as a versatile piece both in the box, as a centerfielder and in the slot.”
FOX Sports: A
Rob Rang: “Thieneman is a steal at this point in the first round. He is among the cleanest players in this class, offering terrific instincts, speed and ball skills. As high as I am on Caleb Downs, I don’t think there was that much of a difference between the two. I love how the Bears have upgraded the coverage skills at safety with this selection of Thieneman and the free-agent addition of Coby Bryant.”
Sporting News: A+
Vinnie Iyer: “The Bears had to love the fact the division rival Vikings and then the Eagles passed on Thieneman. Chicago didn’t bring back Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker or C.J. Gardner-Johnson. After signing former Seahawk Coby Bryant, Chicago wasted no time reloading with elite playmaking at the position. Thieneman adds some dynamic athleticism they didn’t have in Byard, who turns 33 in August.”
Bleacher Report: A
Brent Sobleski: “In any other class, Dillon Thieneman would have been the incoming group’s top-ranked safety. He just happened to be in the same class as Caleb Downs. That’s OK. The Chicago Bears should be thrilled that he remained available until he was selected with the 25th overall pick. Thieneman fits the most obvious need on the Bears roster. Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker started all 19 games last season as the squad’s starting safety duo. Both left in free agency this offseason and signed elsewhere. Chicago did bring in Coby Bryant to offset one of the departures. Thieneman fills the other spot.”
New York Post: A
Ryan Dunleavy: “A natural free safety with playmaking ability, Thieneman was thought to be a perfect fit for the Vikings. Instead, the Vikings will see him twice per year. He had six interceptions at Purdue in 2023 — a sign of his sideline-to-sideline range.”
Bears Wire: A+
Mike Pendleton: “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.”
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: How NFL experts graded the Bears’ selection of Dillon Thieneman
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
