Steelers Could Hit Jackpot if This Player Falls in NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization that evaluates talent unlike any other in the NFL.

That means the players the Steelers draft rarely align with the consensus rankings of the prospects available. The organization instead marches to the beat of its own drum. Just look at their most recent first-round draft picks. Some players are right in line with the projections, like Broderick Jones going in the middle of the first round. Some instances, the organization has benefitted from teams passing on better talent, like when right tackle Troy Fautanu dropped to the 20th overall pick.

The Steelers are hoping the rest of the league is missing something on a few players, allowing them to fall into the organization’s lap. One option that would thrill the franchise is if Oregon Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman drops out of the first round, allowing the Steelers to snag a new starter in the secondary on day two.

Will Thieneman Last Past Round 1?

While the secondary is an area of need, Thieneman has not been a player tied to the Steelers in the same way other first-round talents like Denzel Boston or Vega Ioane have. The team held a formal meeting with the Ducks defensive back, but he has not been included in the team's pre-draft visits. In fact, the team has only met with cornerbacks in the weeks before the draft.

A lot of people and teams view Thieneman as a guaranteed first-round pick. If the Steelers have any shot of drafting him, they need him to be available when the second day of the draft begins. The Steelers are most likely going to take an offensive player with their first-round choice, but all bets are off in the second round and beyond. The Steelers will have 11 picks when the second round starts, and they will be aggressive moving up the draft board to land a player they covet.

Oregon Ducks safety 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

What Thieneman Would Bring to Steelers

What stands out about Thieneman is his instinctual play on the field. A leader of the Ducks’ defense, he has an incredible grasp of the play both pre-snap and as it’s unfolding. This allows him to anticipate and make breaks on the ball with success.

He’s also a high-tier athlete. He posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.35 seconds and a 41” vertical leap at the NFL Draft Combine. He has the speed and IQ teams covet, and the Steelers need another safety in the mix. Thieneman would be a huge addition to the secondary immediately, and would also be the player in line to be the new starter possibly as soon as 2027.

The Steelers just have to hope they hit the jackpot, and Thieneman falls to them in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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