Dillon Thieneman's 40-Yard Dash Put Into Shocking Perspective

Former Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman impressed with his speed and athleticism at the NFL Combine, but only one "simulcam" from the NFL Network broadcast encapsulates just how fast Thieneman ran at the combine.

With an official time of 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Thieneman ran faster than current star receivers in the NFL like Minnesota's, Justin Jefferson, New England's, Stefon Diggs, and Philadelphia's A.J. Brown.

dillon thieneman nfl combine simulcamn 40-yard dash stefon diggs aj brown justin jefferson oregon ducks safety prospect — Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive back Dillion Thieneman (DB52) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

.@oregonfootball S Dillon Thieneman just casually out-running three of the best WRs in the game 🤷‍♂️

2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/cg1oodDj6e
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026

While plenty of receivers in the league will be faster than Thieneman, including a number of prospects than ran the 40-yard dash on Saturday, the simulcam from the NFL Network illustrates the Oregon safety's athleticism.

Thieneman's 4.35-second 40-yard dash ranked fourth among safeties that ran. Regardless of position, Thieneman is tied with Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch and Georgia Tech receiver Eric Rivers for the 11th-fastest time at the combine.

Thieneman's vertical of 41 inches ranked also second among all safeties that participated. With an explosive showing at the NFL Combine, the former Ducks safety seemed to erase any doubt about his draft stock.

Dillon Thieneman Boosts NFL Draft Stock at the Combine

His draft stock had some mixed reviews heading into the combine, but Thieneman now seems like a surefire selection in the first round of the NFL Draft come April.

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Thieneman also looked the part during various defensive back drills as well as the gauntlet, a drill designed to test receivers on their hands and ball skills.

His football instincts can be seen on tape with his playmaking abilities, but Thieneman proved he also has the athleticism to back it up. With a number of talented safeties available at the 2026 NFL Draft, like former Ohio State Buckeyes star Caleb Downs, Thieneman might have stamped himself as the No. 2 safety prospect thanks to his combine performance.

While he was at the combine, Thieneman spoke about developing at Oregon and working on some of the weaknesses in his game:

"One huge one (weakness) was open-field tackling coming from the second year at Purdue. Wasn’t the best that year, and something that I really worked on in the offseason, worked on with my coaches doing extra drills there, and I feel like I really excel at that now," said Thieneman.

Dillon Thieneman's College Production

In one season at Oregon, Thieneman registered two interceptions, 96 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack. With the Ducks, Thieneman was often used as an extra defender in the run, but he still finished the year with five passes defended on top of his interceptions.

Meanwhile, during Thieneman's time at Purdue (2023), particularly his true freshman season, his production jumps off the page. Thieneman totaled six inteceptions, two forced fumbles, 106 combined tackles, and two tackles for loss.

Thieneman reached the College Football Playoff as part of a dominant Ducks' defense, but Oregon fell short in the semifinals with a loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.