Oregon Ducks' Dillon Thieneman Top Safety Prospect In 2026 NFL Draft?

At the end of last season, the Oregon Ducks knew they had a gaping hole in the defensive secondary with nearly every starter departing the program either because of eligibility exhaustion or the NFL Draft.

As soon as the offseason came for the Ducks, Oregon coach Dan Lanning quickly made a move and brought reinforcements to the depleted unit by reeling in the best safety in the transfer portal in Purdue's Dillon Thieneman.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning leaves the field after a CFP Quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN ranked the top five 2026 NFL Draft prospects at each respective position and Thieneman was on both Matt Miller's and Jordan Reid's respective lists.

Thieneman was slotted as the No. 2 safety on Miller's list, just behind Ohio State's Caleb Downs, and Reid ranked Thieneman at No. 3, behind Downs and USC Trojans defensive back Kamari Ramsey.

It's not hard to see why Thieneman is so highly-regarded among draft analysts. Not only is he coming to a program that has a known reputation for producing top NFL talent in Oregon, but his play on the field solidifies himself as one of the best players on the field regardless of position.

Last season, Thieneman produced 104 tackles and one sack for the Boilermakers. When he entered the transfer portal at the end of the season, 247Sports listed him as the No. 1 safety in the portal and the No. 11 player available overall.

Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher dances around the field to “Shout. — Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher dances around the field to “Shout” as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the rival Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thieneman's impact was felt almost immediately by everyone, teammates and coaches included. During a media availability session earlier in the spring, Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher was extremely complementary of his new teammate.

“This morning I was in the treatment room at 5:50 and he was already in the tub, shirt off, warming up and I’m like, ‘Dude, did you go to practice already?’" Boettcher said. “He’s about it on and off the field. He’s one of a kind from what I’ve seen so far. I’m so excited to see what he can do in pads and what he can do to help our team.”

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Oct 5, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) fields a punt against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first quarterat Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

With the addition of Thieneman locked into a starting position in the secondary, the Ducks will have a new starter at every position in the unit.

The Ducks will host an open competition at cornerback with plenty of talent coming in via transfer portal. Northwestern corner Theran Johnson transferred in over the offseason to Eugene and is also expected to compete for a majority of the snaps along with Jahlil Florence, who sat out last season with a knee injury.

Regardless of the new-look personnel group Oregon will be throwing out on the field during the fall, the Ducks are expected to have one of the best defenses in the Big Ten with their defensive front leading the way. Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi will have the Ducks ready to compete with some of the top offenses in the land this upcoming season.

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