Best NFL Draft Fit For Oregon Ducks Safety Dillon Thieneman

Oregon Ducks safety prospect Dillon Thieneman is set to be drafted in the NFL Draft, and he is expected to be selected in the first round.

Despite any team being a solid fit for Thieneman, there is still one team that seems to be the "perfect fit" at this time.

Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman's Perfect NFL Fit

Oregon Ducks football safety nfl draft nfl minnesota vikings theo jackson harrison smith Dillon Thieneman — 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

The Minnesota Vikings are the best and perfect fit for Thieneman as the draft inches closer. The Vikings have a talented roster but are still in a rebuilding phase. While looking for the opportunity to get back to their winning ways, the Vikings are selecting at pick 18. This will be their first and only selection on the first day of the NFL Draft.

The Vikings recently parted ways with their star safety Harrison Smith with a post-June 1 release, opening the door for Thieneman.

Smith has spent his whole career with the Vikings starting in 2012. The safety is a legend in Minnesota and is one of the better players, if not the best player, in franchise history, due to his lengthy career and his ability to change a game on defense. Smith is currently 37, which led to his release, and is someone who has been viewed as a retirement candidate.

This release leaves the Vikings with a big glaring hole in the secondary. The player likely stepping into the starting role for the Vikings is former Tennessee Vols safety Theo Jackson. Jackson has spent nearly his whole career in Minnesota after being drafted by the Tennessee Titans originally.

The Vikings have defensive back Byron Murphy, but they will likely have trouble defending the pass without adding more secondary help. Drafting a guy like Thieneman would essentially be two birds with one stone.

Thieneman is one of the more versatile players in the draft, as he plays a very similar role to a guy like Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. He can find a fit at nearly any position in the secondary and has the opportunity to come up to the box if needed. At Oregon, Thieneman was a willing run defender while also making an impact as a pass defender, finishing the season with 92 total tackles and two interceptions.

This means he could even see some time as a walk-up linebacker for the team that selects him. The versatility allows a guy like Thieneman to see the field immediately and the Vikings to be able to build around him.

With Thieneman replacing Smith, the Vikings would be in a much better position than they were before. The Vikings are likely looking to bring some more talent in through the free agency pool, after landing some big splashes such as quarterback Kyler Murray, who was released from the Arizona Cardinals. The addition of Thieneman would be the best fit for both parties, and arguably the biggest addition for the Vikings if Minnesota can land the safety out of Oregon.