Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman's Updated NFL Draft Projection

Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman declared for the 2026 NFL Draft this offseason and is considered to be one of first safeties off the board. Will he go in the first round?

Dillon Thieneman Rated as Top 3 Safety in 2026 NFL Draft

Oregon Ducks Dillon Thieneman Safety 2026 NFL Mock Draft Projection Prospect Rankings Christian Gonzalez Deommodore Lenoir — 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

Football analyst Bucky Brooks revealed his top five 2026 NFL Draft prospects at the safety position, and he ranked Thieneman No. 3. Here is the full top five.

No. 1: Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes
No. 2: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh Panthers
No. 3: Dillon Thieneman, Oregon Ducks
No. 4: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo Rockets
No. 5: Bud Clark, TCU Horned Frogs

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— NFL (@NFL) February 16, 2026

According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Thieneman is projected to be an early second round pick. His performance at the NFL Scouting Combine could have a big impact on his draft stock.

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Dillon Thieneman’s Collegiate Career

Dillon Thieneman signed with the Purdue Boilermakers out of high school as a member of their 2023 recruiting class. He started as a freshman for the Boilermakers, and in 12 games, he had 106 total tackles, six interceptions, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and two passes defended.

Thieneman was named as the 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year for this performance. He also was named a Third-team All-American and Second-team All-Big Ten. Thieneman played for Purdue again in 2024 before entering the transfer portal that following offseason and transferred to the Oregon Ducks.

With Oregon in 2025, Thieneman had 96 total tackles, two interceptions, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and five passes defended. He was named a First-team All-American and First-team All-Big Ten.

Recent Oregon Defensive Backs Drafted

When Dillon Thieneman gets drafted, he will join a group of former Ducks defensive backs that currently play in the secondary in the NFL. A few of the most notable Ducks at the next level are New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, and New York Giants safety Jevon Holland.

Gonzalez played for the Ducks in 2022 and was selected No. 17 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Gonzalez has been an key piece to this Patriots defense that made it all the way to the Super Bowl this past season. He was named a Pro Bowler in 2025 and Second-team All-Pro in 2024.

Deommodore Lenoir played for Oregon from 2017-2020 and was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He has become arguably the 49ers best shutdown corner since getting to San Francisco.

Jevon Holland played for the Ducks from 2018-2020 and was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. In 2021, Holland made the PFWA All-Rookie team. He was the most recent Oregon safety to be drafted. Theineman will look to become the next one.