Dillon Thieneman Cements His NFL Draft Status at the Combine

From one year with the Oregon Ducks to the NFL Combine stage; safety Dillon Thieneman is making a statement at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Big Ten Conference second-team selection chose to forgo his final year of eligibility for a shot at the pros, and has been climbing the draft projection latter ever since.

Throughout the broadcast on the NFL Network, former scout Daniel Jeremiah continued to mention that Thieneman stamped himself as a first round pick thanks to his performance at the NFL Combine. On Friday, Thieneman ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, and he logged the second-highest vertical of all safeties with 41 inches.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, talks to Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman during an open practice ahead of the Orange Bowl at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 27, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thieneman back pedal, break, and change direction pic.twitter.com/0p9FwWBsTZ
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 27, 2026

Dillon Thieneman's NFL Combine Workout Results

In the position specific workouts, Thieneman flashed his athleticism and his ability to change direction. With smooth footwork and strong hands, Thieneman looks the part as one of the best safeties of the draft. The top prospect at the position, former Ohio State Buckeye Caleb Downs, did not participate in any drills at the combine.

40-yard dash: 4.35 seconds official
Vertical Jump: 41 inches
Broad Jump: 10 feet, 5 inches

Thieneman's 40-yard dash time ranks fourth-fastest among all safety prospects that ran at the combine. His vertical leap was the second-highest of all safeties that jumped.

.@oregonfootball @DillonThieneman running the gauntlet ; finishing up a very impressive combine. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/SHZsA4jfJ8
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 27, 2026

Official Combine Measurements

Height: 6-0
Weight: 201 pounds
Arms: 31 3/8 inches
Hands: 9 inches

Dillon Thieneman meets with the media at the 2026 NFL Combine. | Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dillon Thieneman's College History

With three years to his college career, Thieneman spent two years in his home state of Indiana with the Purdue Boilermakers before transferring to Oregon for his junior year.

In his sole year with the Ducks, Thieneman recorded 92 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, two interceptions, a sack, and five defended passes. Though those numbers fall short of his Purdue days, being around top talent at the Ducks can shave off a few tackles.

Thieneman's strength with the Ducks is lining up is his versatility throughout the defense. Oregon utilized that factor throughout several of their packages with Thieneman having the ability to line up in nickel cornerback, outside linebacker, and free safety.

His top games from the 2025-2026 season with Oregon includes his overtime interception against Penn State's quarterback Drew Allar that sealed Oregon's 30-24 victory during a White-out in Sept. and his seven total tackles and two passes defended against Wisconsin at Autzen Stadium in Oct.

According to Pro Football Focus, Thieneman was the No. 1 graded safety in the NCAA for the 2025-2026 season with a 91.0 rating. Thieneman surpasses fellow safeties like USC's Bishop Fitzgerald (90.7), Indiana's Devan Boykin (90.2), and Texas's Michael Taffee (88.1).

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman, right, brings down Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Experts Are Saying

ESPN Draft Expert Mel Kiper predicts that Thieneman will go in the second or third round and praised the former Ducks' quickness he thinks will show up in workouts leading up to the draft.

"The 6-foot, 205-pound Thieneman, who transferred from Purdue, is solid against the run and strong in coverage, and he covers ground quickly," Kiper continued. "I think he's going to run really well for the clock at pre-draft events. He's savvy, as well. Thieneman just needs to clean up his tackling. He gets sloppy there, as he's not a form tackler. I see him as a second- or third-rounder."

In March, shortly after Thieneman transfered to Oregon, Ducks coach Dan Lanning pointed out Thieneman's dedication to being a student of the game.

“He’s infatuated with the extra work. There's probably not a day that goes by that he’s not in the weight room, getting bonus work, doing extra rehab, getting extra film. His intelligence, all those things are really picking up, you know, establishing some standards for the DB group and how they're going to operate," Lanning said.

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Oregon defensive lineman Bear Alexander, left, and Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman bring down Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Areas For Improvement

When it comes to some drawbacks in Thieneman's performance, there's a few things NFL scouts are likely taking note of. First off is Thieneman's stature, which is a bit undersized for safeties at 6-0 feet and 205 pounds.

He does need to improve on his tackling at the next level, with Thieneman shedding blocks occassionally and sometimes falling for misdirection from the offense. Inconsistent pursuit angles can come from Thieneman getting faked out by play action, but nothing that can't be worked on once attached to a team.

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman, right, breaks up a pass intended for Oklahoma State wide receiver Shamar Rigby as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFL Projections

Thieneman is expected to go early in the second day of the NFL Draft.

Two teams that are in need of a safety like Thieneman likely to draft the Oregon Ducks is the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.

For the Bears, Thieneman would fill in for Kevin Byard, Jacquan Brisker, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, all of which have contracts expiring within the year. Thieneman's ability to line up and down the defense can make him a natural fill-in for a variety of spots in the secondary.

As for the Vikings, safety Harrison Smith is entering the later years of his playing career with a potential retirement decision on the way. Minnesota Vikings on SI actually highlighted Thieneman as a suitable replacement for Harrison leading up to the combine.