The Chicago Bears let the board fall to them, and they winded up with one of the biggest steals of the first round in safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Thieneman addresses a massive need in the secondary following the departures of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker this offseason. Thieneman is a versatile safety who thrives in coverage or downhill against the run. He has elite instincts and playmaking ability that should make him a difference maker in Dennis Allen’s defense, where he’ll serve as a 1-2 punch alongside free-agent addition Coby Bryant.
One of the best moments of the NFL draft is when a player receives the call from their new team, welcoming them to the NFL as their dream is officially realized. The same was true for Thieneman, who got the call from general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Ben Johnson and president/CEO Kevin Warren.
“You ready to come back to the Midwest?” Poles asked Thieneman, who played two years at Purdue before transferring to Oregon last season. “Hell yeah, I’m ready,” Thieneman replied.
Johnson then got the opportunity to talk to his newest player, where he share his excitement for adding a playmaker to the defense.
“We loved everything you put on tape, man,” Johnson said. “You’re going to fit us just like a glove…Get your butt in here. We’ll be competing, and it’ll be a beautiful thing.”
The Bears were thrilled to land Thieneman in the first round, especially as many expected him to be off the board before No. 25 rolled by. But Chicago now gets a speedy, versatile, playmaker at safety that adds another weapon to what’s shaping up to be a formidable secondary for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: WATCH: Dillon Thieneman gets call from Bears on draft night
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
