Three Ideal NFL Draft Landing Spots For Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman

Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft thanks in part to his showing at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Thieneman is freshly removed from a solid scene with the Ducks, as he finished with a total of five pass deflections and two interceptions. Thieneman can play on nearly any team in the NFL, but these teams seem to be his best fits prior to free agency ramping up.

Minnesota Vikings

Oregon Ducks Dillon Thieneman nfl draft nfl Dalls Cowboys Pittsburgh Steelers donovan wilson harrison smith Minnesota Viking — Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell greets Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings have been arguably the perfect team and program for the safety prospect out of the Oregon Ducks program. They have had some success with safeties in the past, and have some room to grow within the defensive back room.

One of the defensive backs who has done the most in the Vikings system is arguably their greatest defensive back of all time, Harrison Smith, but he is getting older and will be on his way out of the NFL sooner rather than later. There is arguably no bigger need for the Vikings than the safety position, which is expected to be addressed in the NFL Draft.

With Thieneman, the Vikings would cross off three positions with one selection. Thieneman can play both slot and either safety position, which allows him to see the field early in his career. He is a guy who would come into this system to play immediately, whether that is as a starter or as a backup, but the likely answer is as a starter.

Dallas Cowboys

Thieneman would be a great fit for one of the league's biggest franchises. The Cowboys have a lot to offer on the defensive side of the ball, as they have already taken some hits to their defense, and will only lose more. They have already started to look into some replacements for these guys ahead of free agency, but now that they know where they stand, it seems that Thieneman could be on his way to Dallas.

Thieneman can fit many positions in the Dallas system as well. Aside from Malik Hooker, there has been very little success at the safety position. The main plus at the safety position other than Hooker is Donovan Wilson, but he will be a free agent. The Cowboys will have to make a move for a safety at some point, regardless of the free agency outcome, but if things go as expected, they will need to get a safety early in the draft.

The Cowboys will be selecting at pick 12, but with the Cowboys likely not being in reach for Caleb Downs, their best option will be Thieneman.

Pittsburgh Steelers

This is the more unlikely team and selection for the talented prospect, as he is unlikely to slip past the No. 18 selection, which the Vikings currently hold. The Steelers have a better safety room than the other programs, but they have a ton of room to grow with a guy like Thieneman coming to town.

The Steelers are phenomenal when it comes to the development of defensive backs, as they have been able to bring the best out of certain defensive backs that they have selected. Thieneman would have the chance to be the best safety they have selected since Minkah Fitzpatrick, which would be fantastic for their team and franchise.

This is likely the latest he would go in the NFL Draft, unless something drastically changes from now until the NFL Draft begins on April 23-25.