Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman Turning Heads Before NFL Draft

With the NFL Combine and college pro days fast approaching, the Oregon Ducks have quite a few athletes departing the program with hope of a career in the pros.

One of those NFL Draft hopefuls, outgoing junior safety Dillon Thieneman, just received another recognition from his single season at Oregon that makes a case for a high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks practice on Jan. 5, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon, ahead of the Peach Bowl. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dillon Thieneman Rated No. 1 Safety in NCAA

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).

In his junior season with the Ducks, Thieneman finished with 92 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, one sack, two interceptions, and five passes defended. Thieneman made the difference in several games for the Ducks, with an overtime interception of Penn State quarterback Drew Allar at Beaver Stadium leading to an Oregon victory becoming a hallmark of his short tenure with the Ducks.

Thieneman has over 300 tackles over his three years in college, including his two years with the Purdue Boilermakers before transferring out West.

Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

High Praise for Dillon Thieneman

Thieneman is also getting praise from across the college football world leading up to the draft. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper placed Thieneman as a "second or third round" pick due to a need to clean up his tackling, but admitted that Thieneman's versatility of being slotted through several spots on the defense by Oregon brings a big upside for NFL teams.

“The 6-foot, 205-pound Thieneman, who transferred from Purdue, is solid against the run and strong in coverage, and he covers ground quickly. I think he’s going to run really well for the clock at predraft events. He’s savvy, as well,” Kiper said in a recent NFL Draft article.

Thieneman also received recent recognition from ESPN's Jordan Reid, who also pointed out Thieneman's versatility in the secondary as a strong asset for his future NFL landing spot.

"Thieneman's instincts are his superpower, as he's able to diagnose and attack as a run defender and in pass coverage," Reid said.

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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

Oregon Ducks' Draft Development

Though Reid and Kiper both pointed out areas of improvement for Thieneman when he reaches the pros, the safeties' recent nation-topping grade and hype going into the draft continues to highlight Oregon's success at developing draft-ready players in the coach Dan Lanning era.

For the 2025 NFL Draft, Oregon had 10 players selected, with six prospects being taken in the first three rounds. That draft set a program record for Oregon, which the Ducks hope to continue to beat with the draft this year.

"Our draft picks have gone up every year since we've been here, and that's really a credit to those players who have worked extremely hard getting an opportunity to live out their dream. Really excited for them and really grateful for everything they did for Oregon," Lanning said after the 2025 NFL Draft.